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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- 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.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- westernunionmoneytransfer672@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: OFFICE FILE <officefile123.781@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunionmoneytransfer672@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2010 06:59:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: PICK UP YOUR $5000 TODAY.
This is to officially inform you that after a confidential meeting with the Benin Republic president Dr.Yayi Boni today he has instructed us to send your payment worth of $2.5 M USD through western union money transfer Benin Republic.This method is the best and safest way to get your payment sent to you without any delay. The total amount mentioned above is with western union out let and they will send the money via their western union department to you. Note they will be sending $5000 every day to you until your total sum $2.5million is completed.
Therefore i want you to email Dr Garry Mills the western union supervisor and ask him to give you the MTCN you need to pick up the first $5000 today.Call Dr Garry Mills now and ask him to give you the mtcn details and every other information you need to pick up your $5000 today. Here is what he may require from you.
Your Receiver Name..........
Tel;....................
Country..............
Address.
PERMANENT ADDRESS:-...........
text Question...............
Answer...................
Note that the only money you will send to them is $185.00usd been there transfer charges and IMF CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE. Contact him now on this E-mail address :(westernunionmoneytransfer672@gmail.com)or phone.: +229.662.313.68. Contact person Dr Garry Mills.
Thanks,
Sarah Anderson
Minister of foreign information.
Benin Republic.
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Anti-fraud resources:
