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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- 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: Rbs Group <rbs.group@ymail.com>
Reply-To: wasternunionmoneytransfer@ymail.com
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2011 23:03:41 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED
.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage p {padding:0px;}.ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;}
The office of the western union money transfer
No 46 agbokou lane
Porto Novo Benin Republic
28 oct. 2011
CONGRATULATIONS;
we received the payment of ($3.5 million US) Three million five hundred
thousand united state dollars in an atm card by the Lottery commission to be sent to you through western union money transfer payment. Be informed
that we are in possession of your ($3.5 million US)
The amount you will be receiving per day is $5,000 usd, you will receive
the total sum of ($3.5 million USD) within three weeks, and your fund has been insured by the Lottery commission and is protected with insurance
hard cover no money will be deducted from your fund. Kindly contact us with
this
information below for your first MTCN number if you need to pick up the first $5,000
today.
YOUR NAME..................
COUNTRY.....................
CITY.......................
MOBILE TELEPHONE NO...........
Western Union money transfer
Contact Person: MR DAVID MARK.
Email:(wasternunionmoneytransfer@ymail.com)
Tel: +229 989 549 02.
Be inform that immediately you send this information to him he will start sending your fund immediately. And to avoid impersonation of your fund make sure you do not disclose this information to any one untill your $3.5 million is fully released and stop communicating with any one who claim to be in possession of your ATm Card in Western union for this is the only office mandated to release your fund.
Your's Sincerely
Mrs.caroline Robert
Customer care department
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