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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "required 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. )
- "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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "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.
- 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.
- wu.union983@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WESTERN UNION <wu.union983@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2011 22:24:39 +0100
Subject: MTCN= 4741598062
We discovered that some internet hackers (Fraudsters) are accessing our
e-mail account and yours
trying to steal from both of us, so we have concluded to effect your
payments through western union
Office and they have send you $6000 usd today and They will be sending
$6,000. to you daily until
your $850.000.00 is completely transferred to you accordingly. You can only
pay to them $49usd so
as to enable the purchasing of your inheritance file to prevent illegal
transfer of your funds or
any form of hindrance in receiving your funds.
they shall obtain the Tax clearance certificates and finalize the process of
your daily transfer
and then authorize the appointed Western Union Office to effect your
payments by tomorrow as soon
as you send the fee to them.Please fill in the transfer form attached to you
and forward to Agent
incharge.
Mr.Mark John
E-mail: wu.union983@gmail.com
Tel: (+229)9809-1364 Below is the information which you are to use to send
the required fee through
Western Union or Money Gram any of the office that is closer to you.The
Payment instructions.
Receiver name:.....Sunday Onyibor
City:..............COTONOU
Country:.........BENIN REPUBLIC
Test Question:.......When
Test Answer:.........NOW
Amount:...........$49.00 usd
Then after you have send the fee to this information, you should send the
payment informations to
them together with the transfer form giving to you. Immediately they
purchase your payment files,
you will start receiving your payments daily as stated above. Here are
details of your first
payment of $6.000 USD made on your behalf but it has no receiver's name yet
until you remit the
$49 USD required to them before they can purchase the inheritance files with
your name and put
your name as the receiver.
MTCN= 4741598062
Test Question GOOD
Test Answer YES
Amount $6000.00 Only
Note that within 24hrs if you do not remit the required $49 USD the transfer
will be retrieve back
and remember that the money details given to you does not bear your name as
the receiver yet until
you make the payment of the $49USD so please call (+229)9809-1364 if you are
having any problem in
picking the fund.
Very best regards,
MR MARK JOHN
Director Western Union
Benin Republic.
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