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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Douglas Brown" <Douglas@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernuniontransfer030@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2023 20:55:17 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention Beneficiary.




Attention Dear Beneficiary,

Welcome to Western Union Head Office and This is to inform you that
International Monetary Fund IMF is compensating all the scam victims
$2.700.000.00 USD here in Benin Republic (Two Million Seven Hundred
Thousand Dollar Only each, and your email address was found in the scam
victim's list) This Western Union head office has been mandated by the
International Monetary Fund IMF Director to transfer your compensation
fund to you via Western Union Transfer Daily.

We the western union office here stated that you will be receiving your
fund $2.700.000.00 at the maximum of $6,000.00 daily is the whole fund
$2.700.000.00 is completely transferred to you. We have sent out your
first payment $6,000 MTCN_612-635-1126 but it is placed on hold because
your payment is not yet activated.

BELOW IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT $6,OOO.OO USD but still on hold

MTCN#________________________612-635-1126
Sender��s First Name:-------Mr.Douglas
Sender��s Last Name:------Brown
Sender��s Location:------- Seattle,Benin Republic
Amount sent:------- $6000

Remember we need your full information as where we will be sending the
second payments $6000 to avoid wrong transfer such as,

Your Full Name:............................
Your Home Address:......................
Your Country/ City: .............................
Your Age:....................................
Your Sex:........................................
Your Occupation..................................
Your Direct Phone Number:..........................
Your ID copy:............................

Note that your payment files will be returned to the I.M.F within 72 hours
if we did not hear from you, this was the instruction given to
us by the IMF.

Contact us Below: (westernuniontransfer030@gmail.com)
Mr. John Richard
Thanks,

Douglas Brown

Anti-fraud resources: