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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. )
- "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. )
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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 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.
- interntionalpolice311@mail.md (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: INTERNATION POLICE <geonali1051@verizon.net>
Reply-To: interntionalpolice311@mail.md
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:14:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTENTION FROM INTERNATIONAL POLICE
INTERNATIONAL POLICE
(INTERPOL)
RC-32657, HEATTHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMMAND,
BENIN REPUBLIC EMAIL: (interntionalpolice311@mail.md)
PHONE ;00229-93065020
(WE ARE PROUD OF OUR IMAGE AND OUR PRAYER IS TO GOD GIVE US MORE KNOWLEDGE FOR OUR DUTY, GOD BLESS INTERPOL. )
ATTENTION FROM INTERNATIONAL POLICE
LISTEN TO ME, I AM MR.JOHN RICHARD DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL POLICE BENIN BRANCH WEST AFRICA ( INTERPOL) I AM TO OFFICIAL INFORM YOU THAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC INTRUCTED US TO CARRY OUT THE INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT YOU ARE HAVING OVER HERE IN THE AFRICA AND AFTER OUR INVESTIGATION CONSULTANT WITH WEST AFRICA MONETARY INSTITUTE ( WAMI ) THE INVETSIGATION CONCERNING YOUR FUND WAS HANDED OVER TO US PER THE MEETING THAT WAS GOING ON FOR PASS 5DAYS WHICH ENDED TODAY.
CONFIDENTIAL NOTE ; I AM HERE TO OFFICIAL INFORM YOU THAT OUR MEN'S WENT TO WESTERN TODAY AND SECURE THE CHEQUE FROM THE OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AGENCY THAT SURPOSE TO TRANSFER THE FUND TO YOU THROUGH THEIR WESTERN UNION OFFICE AS IT RESULT THAT THE CHEQUE IS VERY HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BE TRANSFER THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER ,SO THE CHEQUE IS NOW IN OUR CUSTODY.
AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW IS TO TRY AND SEE THAT YOU MEET UP WITH OUR REQUEST SO THAT WE CAN RELEASE YOUR CHEQUE AND DELIVERY IT TO YOU IMMEDIATELY WITH OUT HAVING ANY OTHER PROBLEM BUT THE ONLY THING THAT WILL HOLD YOUR FUND HERE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO RECONFIRM TO US YOUR FULL INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND THE CHEQUE TO YOU AND YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH OUR DUTY SERVICE CHARGE WHICH IS $110 DOLLARS ONLY , YOU ARE HERE ADVICE TO URGENTLY SEND TO US THE DUTY SERVICE CHARGE THAT MUST TO PAY BY THE BENEFICIAL AS WHICH IS $110.OOUSD AND YOUR FULL INFORMATION BELLOW SO THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR CHEQUE BY TOMORROW MORNING.
YOUR FULL NAME
YOUR DELIVERY ADDRESS
YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER
YOUR PASS-PORT OR ID CARD
=============================================================================
AND YOU HAVE TO SEND THE MONEY WITH THE NAME OF OUR AGENT ON THE INFORMATION BELLOW THROUGH ANY WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
RECEIVERS : :::::::EZE HYACINTH
COUNTRY : :::::::: BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY : :::::::::::::::COTONOU
TEST QUESTION : WHO IS GREAT
TEST ANSWER :::: GOD
AMOUT : :::::::::::$110
MTCN::::::::::::::::
DO NOT FORGET TO SEND TO US THE PAYMENT INFORMATION IMMIDIATELY YOU HAVE SEND THE MONEY.
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