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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- moneygram2014.gram@yahoo.ca (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Kelvin Baba" <deopferd@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "Mr. Kelvin Baba" <moneygram2014.gram@yahoo.ca>
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 01:08:04 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: ATTENTION:MY DEAR
  ATTENTION:MY DEAR
We was instructed to send your fund to your Address in your city via our Money Gram office from here in Benin Republic office Money Gram Money transfer and you will be receiving your fund ( $8,500.00 U.S.D ) per day until you receive all your total payment which is the Sum of $7.900.000.00 USD with 99Days as Schduled in our office here.
However you should know that In money gram transaction when an amount of fund in transition is more than $5,000.00 usd dollars, the document file will be renewed before the transfer will commence because money gram do not send more than $8.500.00 per day but this order is from ministry of finance and in all the money grams of the world.
I want you to know that this is a legitimate transfer and that is why we need to renewal the deposited file at this money gram and get what we want so that you will be receiving your money without any delay or problem .The cost of the Renewal of your File which was deposited at this Money Gram With your Name is $155.00 Only.So i want you to know that there is nothing like any deceiving in this transfer of your fund and be inform that the amount which you will be receiving each day is $8,500.00 once you send the $155.00 for the renewal of your file today.
Be rest assure that as soon you send the $155.00 we must start transfering your fund to you through this Money Gram Department without any further delay and this is the only fee you have to pay in this transaction as it was written down already by the Federal government of this country that mapped out the compensation for you . We are waiting to hear from you today with the fee. This is the payment information you will use to send the $155.00 for this department to release your fund today not tomorrow .
Reconfirms your transferring addressReceiver name :==Country:=======City:==========.Test question:===Answer:========Telephone number:=You will send the fee through MONEY GRAM OR Western Union with this information bellow.
Receiver name --- Paul AguCity-------------------COTONOUCountry-----------------BENIN REPUBLICTest Question-------what is thatTest Answer------------my inheritanceAmount-----------------$155.00MTCN------------------Sender Name.............
Awaiting to receive the payment information.Kindly get back to me.ThanksOperation Manager;, Mr. Kelvin Baba. Director Money GramMoney Transfer.E-mail: (moneygram2014.gram@yahoo.ca)
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