419 scam: "Barrister Justin Miller"<noreply@info.org> Beneficiary Notification!!!

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "abuja" (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.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348037775167 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Justin Miller" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <justinmiller365@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:56:58 +0100
Subject: Beneficiary Notification!!!

Dear Beneficiary,

I have sent you several notices concerning the claim of your benefit that was paid to you as compensation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria following my petition against the Government as a human right activist to compensate you with the sum of $250,000.00 due to the illegal diversion of your lottery winnings into the country. But I have not heard from you ever since and I hope you will reply this last notice. You were meant to be receiving $10,000.00 daily till it completes the correct amount. For better understanding of what I mean, Please visit www.westernunion.com and click TRACKING . Then, enter the following details on the displayed box fields and click CHECK STATUS to track your money online with;

Sender First Name: Emma
Sender Last Name: Enabulele
Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN): 1614830421

The status now shows Picked up because this amount has been temporarily withdrawn for security reasons since I did not get any reply message from you after sending you several notices with the transaction details to enable you pick up. Now, you are strongly advised for the last time to go on and effect payment of $180 for the transfer charges via western union money transfer immediately with the details of the western union agent in Abuja with hthe information below:

Receiver's name: James Okoh,
Address: New House Plaza, Abuja, Nigeria.

You are to send the payment details via email as it clearly appear on the western union slip because it is impossible and illegal to embed the transfer charges into the total fund transferred because of the lawful restriction that has been placed on your fund that restricts anyone from tempering with your fund. This amount will be made available again within 24 hours at your resident local western union shop after you have settled the transfer charges and I will avail you the full details of the sender and the money will be made fit for you to pick up once I have confirmed your payment.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If your payment for the transfer charges is not received after three days this time around, you risk forfeiting your benefit permanently.

Yours in Service.
Barr. Justin Miller.
+234-(803)-77 751 67

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam