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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)
- 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.
- 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.
- mkscott3@sify.com (Sify; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Western Union Online Payment" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mkscott3@sify.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2010 03:09:46 +0200
Subject: Urgent Your Western Union Is Ready For Pick Up
Attn:
This is to notify you that the management board of the United Nations Compensation Board made a payment of $5000.00 USD to you.
We are mandated to send you the total sum of $800,000 USD through Western Union but, you will be receiving $5000 each day till it will complete $800,000.00usd.
First you have to go ahead and pick up the first payment of $5000 at any western union office clsoe to you with the information given to you below and after doing that get back to Mr. Richard Flemming so he can process and send you the next payment:
Sender's Name: First Name: OPARA Last Name: JUSTINE
MTCN :4920199293
Text Question: who
Answer: Me
Country: Australia
Amount To Receive: $5000
After, picking up the $5000 get back to the officer in charge of this your transaction in person of Mr. Richard Flemming
Contact e-mail: mkscott3@sify.com
Tel: +234 705 500 0827.
Regards
Mrs. Grace James
Managerment Western Union
Western Union® Welcome to Western Union Send Money Worldwide.
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