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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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "moneygram62@live.fr" (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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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 PAUL EGO <office-----fil0338@att.net>
Reply-To: moneygram62@live.fr
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:26:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: MONEY GRAM DEPARTMENT
ATTN; BENEFICIARY ;
INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 51HOURS TO EFFECT
PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST
$6,000:00 FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO
MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY
WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME
UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.DO CONTACT US WITH
THIS
EMAIL ( moneygram62@live.fr)
Call +2299867-7751
YOU ARE TO PAY WHAT EVER YOU HAVE FOR
THE ACTIVATION FEE AS FROM $58 UP; WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON
RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.
BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY
THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST
6,000:00 USD, 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 RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.
1.RECEIVER NAME:............. Ikwunne Anthony
2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA.
3.CITY :............... COTONOU .
4..TEST QUESTION:....HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:......TRUST.
6.AMOUNT .......... AS FROM $58 UP
SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY
YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL
SEND YOU THE FIRST RECIEPT OF YOUR 6000 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW
REGARDS MY DIRECT PHONE LINE IS Mr PAUL EGO FROM MONEY GRAM OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT AND WE NEED FULL
INFORMATION TO AVOID ANY OTHER PROBLEM OK
Mr PAUL EGO
OPRATION MANAGER.
MONEY GRAM DEPARTMENT
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