|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "required fee " (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. )
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: James Willie <wellsfargobankindian@gmail.com>
Reply-To: jamewillie1@outlook.com
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2021 12:11:14 +0100
Subject: Welcome to Western Union
Welcome to Western Union
Send Money Worldwide
Send Money
With due respect to this office and Federal Government Benin we thanks
and let you know that your ATM CARD money is with this office as
dormant and non-activation card because of the starfruit as the
instruction was given from the office of Presidency , World Bank
,IMF/UNO .and the fund is $2.8million
For your useful information you advised to send to us the sum of $40
for the Re-activate the dormant ATM CARD so that we an send your fund
through western union money transfer .
as soon the required fee of $40 us dollar is send today for the
activation of the Dormant the payment file of your funds you will
start receiving your funds as from tomorrow. send the $40 usa dollar
through western union with the name and address below:
JAMES WILLIE
FINANCIAL MINISTER OF. FREDERAL
FORGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE
|
Anti-fraud resources:
