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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:
- "the required fees" (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. )
- "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 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: Rev Zima Luis <ecco2222@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westerntm565@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:56:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: The Government has given you till Wednesday next week
We want to use this medium to inform you that the Benin Government are not happy with your inability to claim your fund. Do to your lukewarm attitude.
The Government has given you till Wednesday next week to make the required payment or you forfeit your fund. It is certainly unfortunate that your fund will be transfer to the Government account as unclaimed fund.
I hereby advise you to proceed to Western Union office or money gram in your area and make the required payment immediately to enable you start receiving your money today.
We have re-programmed your MTCN to enable you pick up your first payment, but without the required fees, we will not release your MTCN to you.
Your money has been insured to its full value and is protected with hardcover insurance policy, which make it impossible to deduct any cent from you total money before it is remitted to you. so the required charges will not be deducted,as an internal security measure to protect beneficiaries from under-payments arising from such deductions by our officials.
Below is the information you will use to send us the required fees Via western union.
Name: OGUGUA UCHENNA
Country: Benin Republic
City: Cotonou
Code: 229
Question: GOOD
Answer: GOOD.
Amount: $85
MTCN_______
You will be able to pickup your first money today as soon as we receive the required payment.
Call for confirmation of receipt of this message on: +229 98221 999
Rev Zima Luis.
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Anti-fraud resources:
