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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:
- "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. )
- "moneygram.b@9.cn" (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: MRS MARY JOHN <officefilco113@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygram.b@9.cn
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:28:14 +0100 (BST)
Subject: URGENT REPLY. FOR YOU TO PICK UP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT
How are you today?
Good News to you,i am very happy to inform you that your fund of $950.000.00Usd from Africa which you was struggling to receive since has been approved today and the payment will be made to you through Money Gram Transfer Benin Republic. Then according the Money Gram Transfer rules and regulations you will only pay the sum of $59.00 for the signing of your payment deposit Certificate which was approved by the Federal Government Benin Republic.
This is the only opportunity you have to claim your fund from Africa here and am here to make sure that the transfer is well done once you pay the $59.00. Remember that your fund of Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand State Dollars will be transferring to you at rent of $80,000.00 per day until your payment is over
So i want you to contact the Money Gram Office immediately with below information.
MONEY GRAM MANAGER...MR.PHILLIP DESMOND
EMAIL= (moneygram.b@9.cn)
PHONE NUMBER +229-96351578
Regards.
Mrs Mary John.
Federal Government
Payment Contractor
Benin Republic
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