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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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "westernunion102@globomail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "info_diamondplc10@globomail.com" (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: "MR. ROBERT ANTHONY" <xxxxxx--ccca@att.net>
Reply-To: info_diamondplc10@globomail.com
Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:42:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CALL ME ON MY DIRECT LINE +229 9895-2802 FOR YOUR TOTAL FUND (USD$2.500.00).
MY DEAR;URGENT
ATTENTION.
INFORMATION REACHING
US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 24HOURS TO
EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR FUND (USD$2.500.00) TO ENABLE YOU
START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT WITH US $2500 USD TWICE DAILY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE
YOUR TOTAL FUND OF TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS, SINCE
YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE
TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FROM $55 UP FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE
YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
HERE.YOU ARE TO PAY WHAT EVER YOU HAVE FROM $55 UP FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE; WE
WILL ACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT FOR YOU TO START
RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY THROUGH WESTERN UNION INTERNATIONAL MONEY
TRANSFER.
BE INFORMED THAT YOU
WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR
FIRST $5,000.00. ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY
THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TO DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF
WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I WANT YOU TO SEND THE
ACTIVATION CHARGE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.
1.RECEIVER NAME:__
MRS. IGBANUGO LAWRENCE N.
2.COUNTRY:_________ BENIN REPUBLIC
3.CITY :.____________
COTONOU .
4..TEST QUESTION:_______HONEST
5.TEST
ANSWER:_________TRUST.
PLEASE ANY AMOUNT YOU
SEND LET US KNOW, SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND
IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE ACTIVATION FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECIEPT OF
YOUR $5,000.00 $2500 USD EACH TODAY.
YOURS IN
SERVICE
MR.
ROBERT ANTHONY (ACCOUNTANT)
EMAIL ADDRESS:( westernunion102@globomail.com)
CUSTOMER CARE:( info_diamondplc10@globomail.com).
CALL ME ON MY DIRECT
LINE +229 9895-2802 FOR YOUR TOTAL FUND (USD$2.500.00).
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