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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:
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "wu_mike@discuz.org" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "western union" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wu_mike@discuz.org>
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:03:59 -0700
Subject: MTCN: 3990567986
In regards to your mail that was received in this office and was noted, We received the information you sent to us for the transfer of your fund valued at USD$ 200,000.00 on installment daily transfer of $5,000 USD per day. Note that we will be transferring the fund to you $5000 USD per day as the western union protocol restricts us from making transfer of fund more than $5000 USD per day from Africa.
In accordance to the new rules and regulations of all the western union money transfer worldwide, you are to make payment for the swift programming and MTCN transfer tax to your country which will cost you $150 before the transfer can be released to you for pick up. Bear it in mind that the fee is not negotiable and we can not release the transfer to you today if you did not send the required fee. Be informed that the fee cover for the transfer of all your fund and not just this first transfer meaning that you will not be required to pay any fee again for the rest of the transfer.
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global
SENDERS FIRST NAME: Anderson
SENDERS LAST NAME: Brown
MTCN: 3990567986
AMOUNT: 5,000.00USD first payment
TEXT QUESTION: HOW LONG?
ANSWER: 24 HOURS
Below is the information you will use to send us the fee of $150 USD Via western union to our account officer George Allen.
Receivers name_____Aghahowa Nosakhare
Receivers Address_____ 231 Herbert Macaulay way
City_______________ Abuja
Country____________ Nigeria
Mtcn Number_____
Amount sent_____
Text Question______ Favorite Color
Answer_____________Yellow
After making the payment you are to send payment information and scanned copy of payment receipt to my email below.
Mr Mike Edward
E-Mail: (wu_mike@discuz.org)
Phone: +234-805 353 3904
As soon as we receive the payment of the $150 USD from you. We will put your name as the receiver and you will go to any western union and pick up the money you are to Fill in the details below for sending payment to you as soon as the western union account has been setup.
Note that within 24hrs if you do not remit the required $150 USD which has already been made($5,000 USD )It will be withdrawn back and remember that the money details given to you does not bear your name as the receiver until you make the payment of the $150 USD.
We wait to receive the payment information.
Mr Mike Edward
Phone Number: +234-805 353 3904
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