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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:
- "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. )
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: WESTERN UNION <kennethcetgooodcity@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: WESTERN UNION <wu9644659@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 04:23:09 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Attention
 Attention,
We write to acknowledge the receipt of your mail regarding your fundstransfer via our service Western Union Money Transfer DepartmentCotonou, Benin Republic Regarding the transfer, We are hereby writtento inform you that before your first installment of $5000 will beRelease for you to pick up, that you will send us the sum of $89 forYour international transfer permit
It is very important that you made the fee available to this officeFor immediate obtained of your transfer permit so that the payment will beRelease for you to pick up immediately from any western union officeIn your area.
The amount of your payment which you are going to confirmed is the sumOf $4.5 million US Dollar and as soon as you settle the required feeFor the transfer permit of your your fund, we assure you that once weReceive the required fee today; your first payment will be released toYou immediately
NOTE: THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE TRANSFER PERMIT FEE IS THATWE HAVE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUNDS BUT THE MINISTERADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO ONE HASACCESS OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAS BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEYSHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO THE BENEFICIARY TO AVOID ANYMISUNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE IF ANY ONE HAS ACCESS TO DO THAT IT WILLINVOLVE MANY PEOPLES LOOSING THEIR FUNDS. THEREFORE YOU SHOULD PROCESSRIGHT NOW AND SEND THE FEE WITH THE INFORMATION LISTENED BELOW.
SEND THE FEE THROUGH OUR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE BELOW DETAILS.
Receiver's Name==COUNTRY = BENIN REPUBLICCITY = COTONOUQuestion:=====AbleAnswer:=====GodAMOUNT= $89Sender's Name=MTCN Number=
We are waiting to receive the payment information to enable us proceedAnd release your first payment to you so that you can go to anyWestern Union office in your area and pick up your $5000 USD.
RegardsWSETERN UNIONFOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC.
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