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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:
- 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:
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "million us 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)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE <oceanicbank79@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE <imf.worldregulatory_office@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2014 16:27:45 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE
IMFWORLD REGULATORY OFFICEResidentRepresentative in Benin RepublicAttentionBeneficiary,
Provisionof Affidavit of Claim Certificate for Legal Cover/ Protection of US$3.5MillionDollars in favor of you.
Pleaselet us start by apologizing to your humble and noble person, this is becauseyour payment file worth the total sum of us$3.5Million us dollars has just beenbrought to my desk for cancellation which i have to taken my time to look intoyour payment file to know why your over due payment should be canceled and ifound out that it was because of your inability to secure your Release ApprovalOrder Certificate (RAOC) that is why they have resolved to have your payment ofus$3.5Million us dollars canceled.
However,due to humanitarian ground and sympathy and because i do not want your paymentcanceled so i immediately called up the president to explain your matter to himas regards your payment and he personally called up a meeting which wasresolved that all payment charges and any payment fee be reduced to it's barestmenial in order to enable you afford to pay the fee so that your payment bereleased to you today.
Tothis end it will interest you to know that every and any fee/charges requiredof you have been reduced to only the sum of $48.00 us dollars this step is inorder to enable you have this only fee paid so that your release approval ordercertificate (RAOC) is procured and acquired in other to enable the speedyaccelerated transfer of your $3.5 Million us dollars into any bank account ofyour choice.
Pleasewe want you to know that you have till the end of today to effect the requiredpayment so we can clear, release and effect the transfer of your fund worthus$3.5 Million us dollars in our care to any bank account of your choice, so weadvice you to pay the $48. us dollars through the western union money transferbelow information and send back the payment details to this office immediatelythe payment is effected by you now. Sendthe $48.00 us dollars through Western Union orMoney gram.Receiver'sName : Chidi UduCity :  CotonouCountry: Benin RepublicQuestion:favor?Answer: youAmount:$48.00 us dollars onlySender'sName:.........................MTCNNumber:....................... Wewant you to know that we are indeed very very sorry for any inconveniences anydelay this must have caused you in having your fund paid out to you long beforenow.You will never ever regret paying the fee this is a promise to you afterall your pains in the past as we are here to serve you as our word is our bondto you.Confirm the receipt of this e-mail by you immediately and be restassured that you will be smiling to your bank once you comply with the abovedirectives now. Your urgent response to this e-mail now will go a long way inhelping us ensure your payment is released to you within 24 hours of you actingas instructed you now.   Lookingforward for your immediate response today. BestRegards,Mr.John PeterInternationalMonetary FundResidentRepresentative in Benin Republic.
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