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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:
- "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL BANK \(Foreign Operation Dept\)" <info.departmoffice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: interl.departm2@msn.com
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 11:02:20 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: USA PACKAGE DELIVERY
Attention Please.
We have receive your email, but the diplomat delivery service said that
they have to provide you a Clearance Revenue document so that your Atm
card will be release today at your door step. Please note that the
custom office said that they must release your Atm card by today only if
you can send the requested fee of $36 for the Clearance Revenue
document. Please try all you can to do that today so that we can
finishup every things by today so that we can endose every things
without any further delay again. and you have only today to send it
because the delivery diplomat service is in Usa by tomorrow morning if
you dont comply by today. he will be leaving to Benin Republic Please
and please try all you can to do that now so that we can finishup every
things by today without any further delay again.
We will give you the contact of our officer over there in spain /Usa to
assist you deposit the Atm Card your bank, if you wish .as soon as you
get this email endeavor to western union the required $36 with the
Below details:
Senders Name:----
Recivers name:----Onyekachi James
Country:--- Benin Republic
City:-- Cotonou
Question:----What for?
Answer:---Tag.
MTCN:--------
Amount:--$36
you are advice to send the money for the Clearance Revenue document/USA
Yellow Tag, so that they can deliver your Atm card as soon as possible
by today. make sure that you call us or you email us today for
confirmation. Please note that as soon as you send the requested fee
today, you have to email us with the MTCN/Payment slip.
Waiting to hear from you soon.
Thank you!,
Yours ,
Dr. Williams Peter.
Director Fund Recovery Atm Payment Department
Ecowas Subregion Benin Rep
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Anti-fraud resources:
