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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: PRESIDENCY OFFICE <presidency.presidencygovng@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2020 14:01:36 +0100
Subject: PAYMENT
* <http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/252425/Nigerian+Flag.jpg>OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENTFEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIAASO ROCK VILLAFEDERAL CAPITAL
TERRITORYABUJA NIGERIADirect Tel: +234 708 644 9077Dear Beneficiary,*
* I hope you are doing fine.I personally write to let you know that I have
approved that the inheritance funds valued US$15 Million of your late
brother Mr. Steve Watts will be paid to you directly from the Central Bank
under my personal supervision.My approval is as a result of petitions from
some of the unpaid beneficiaries and important World Leaders(International
Community) that I should intervene on the payment of the beneficiaries and
see that they receive their payment and end their frustration/misery.My
intervention has led to the payment of most of the beneficiaries because I
am personally supervising their payment.Your inheritance funds originated
from here and you will be paid directly from our Central Bank which is our
apex bank.I have instructed the Governor Central Central Bank of Nigeria to
without delay process your payment and duly make the remittance of your
funds valued US$15,000.000(Fifteen Million United States Dollars) into your
account.Your transaction has been entered in the bank Central Funds
Remittance System(C.F.R.S)This means your funds transfer has been processed
and remittance ready.The only thing that is required for your funds
transfer is to obtain an International Funds Transfer Clearance
Certificate.The International Funds Transfer Clearance Certificate that
will be issued on your behalf allows/authorizes your funds to be
transferred to you and as well serves as anti money laundering and also
made you the authentic beneficiary of the US$15 Million and no Authority in
the World will question your funds once it is transferred into your account
and you start making use of your funds. The issuance fee for the
International Funds Transfer Clearance Certificate is US$500.You are
advised to pay the US$500 and the International Funds Transfer Clearance
Certificate will be issued on your behalf and your funds valued US$15
Million will immediately be transferred into your account.The US$500 can
not be deducted from your principal sum of US$15 Million because of the
existing law which states that the full amount of the beneficiary's funds
is what will be transferred to him You are therefore advised to pay the
US$500 for the International Funds Transfer Clearance Certificate for it
to be issued on your behalf and for your funds valued US$15 to be
transferred into your account.You should send the US$500 through Western
Union or Money Gram with the below information of our Revenue
officer:FIRST NAME: RICHARDMIDDLE NAME: UBONGLAST NAME: UMANALOCATION:
LAGOS NIGERIAYou should use exactly the names as stated above to send the
money through Money Gram or Western UnionYou should send me the copy of
the Money Gram or Western Union transfer slip once you send it so that the
Revenue officer will pick it up and the International Funds Transfer
Clearance Certificate will be obtained on your behalf and our Central Bank
will immediately transfer your US$15 Million into your account.The copy of
the International Funds Transfer Clearance Certificate will be sent to you
once it is obtained as well as the copy of the wire slip upon your funds
remittance.You are also required to re-confirm your banking information for
the remittance.I await your prompt compliance.*
*Regards,His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCON GCFR, President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria*
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