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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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: Imf-account-service-us <rjake8744@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: imfmoneytryoffic@sify.com
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 06:23:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Are You Dead Or Alive?
IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE
INTERNATIONAL FUNDS REGULATORY AUTHORITY
INTER-CONTINENTAL DEBT RECONCILIATION DEPT.
FROM THE
DESK OF: HONORABLE MRS. MOJI ABU. DIRECTOR; IMF World
Regulatory Office.
ATTENTION:PROVISION
OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM CERTIFICATE FOR LEGAL COVER/ PROTECTION OF US$15.5M IN
FAVOR OF YOU
GOOD MORNING TO YOU AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?
PLEASE DURING
OUR RESUMPTION MEETING THIS MORNING TO COMMENCE THE WEEK A LADY BY NAME MRS. OTE OCHA
WORKED INTO OUR OFFICE CRYING WITH TEARS ALL OVER HER SAYING AND
CONFIRMING TO US THAT YOU ARE DEAD AND THAT SHE IS YOUR NEXT OF KIN AND THAT WE
SHOULD PAY HER ALL YOUR ENTITLEMENT AND ALL THAT BELONGS TO YOU WHICH WE ARE ABOUT TO DO NOW DUE TO HER PATHETIC
AND PITIABLE STORY TO US THIS MORNING.
AND IN OTHER TO
BE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND TO AVOID ANY MISTAKES THIS E-MAIL IS COMING TO YOU AND
THE QUESTION THAT ARISES IS THIS.
ARE YOU STILL
ALIVE? THIS IS BECAUSE AFTER THE MEETING THIS MORNING IT WAS RESOLVED THAT
ALL FEE BE WAIVED EXCEPT FOR THE TRANSFER PIN CODE CHARGE.
YOUR TRANSFER PIN CODE WILL ONLY COST YOU THE SUM OF $100, WHICH IS THE ONLY FEE YOU MUST PAY IN OTHER TO ENSURE YOUR FUND
IS TRANSFERRED INTO ANY BANK ACCOUNT WHICH YOU SO DESIRE.
IF YOU ARE
ALIVE THEN WE WILL IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE AN INSTANT RESPONSE FROM YOU ALONG WITH
THE REQUIRED PAYMENT DETAILS OF THE $100 NOW SO YOUR FUND IS PAID OUT TO YOU IMMEDIATELY.
SO WE ADVICE
YOU TO PAY THE $100 WHICH IS FOR THE TRANSFER PIN CODE CHARGES THROUGH THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER THAT IS
NEAREST TO YOU TO THE BELOW INFORMATION AND SEND BACK THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO
THIS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.
RECEIVERS NAME: OBI SAMSON
RECEIVERS
ADDRESS: LAGOS STATE / NIGERIA
SENDERS
NAME:
SENDERS
ADDRESS:
TEXT
QUESTION: STILL
TEXT ANSWER: ALIVE
AMOUNT: $100
M.T.C.N NUMBER:
PLEASE GO AND SEND IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEND TO ME THE PAYMENT DETAILS
IMMEDIATELY.
WE ARE VERY
SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCES THIS MUST HAVE BROUGHT TO YOU IN ANY WAY.
WE ARE HERE
TO SERVE YOU AS OUR WORD IS OUR BOND TO YOU.
CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF THIS E-MAIL BY YOU IMMEDIATELY AND BE REST ASSURED
THAT YOU WILL BE SMILING TO YOUR BANK ONCE YOU COMPLY WITH THE ABOVE DIRECTIVES
NOW.
RESPOND BACK
IMMEDIATELY AS YOUR RESPONSE NOW IS HIGHLY REQUIRED.
MRS. MOJI ABU.
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