|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "inland revenue" (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 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: Western Union Money Transfer <officefile4581@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: westerrnunion85@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:16:10 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?WU9VUiBJTU1FRElBVEUgVVBEQVRFIElTIE5FRURFROKAjw==?=
FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
WESTERN
UNION MONEY TRANSFER
COTONOU, REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
WEBSITE; www.westernunion.com
E-MAIL: www.westernunion.com
CUSTOMER CARE:www.westernunion.com
TEL:
 +229-98679345Â
+229-98679345
FAX:
+229-93061149
DEAR VALUED CUSTOMER,
THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
HAS DECIDED TO SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
FOR URGENT ASSIST ON THE TRANSFER. FOR THE PAST ONE WEEK THE PAYMENT WE MADE ON
YOUR NAME IS STILL WAITING, WE HAVE MADE TWO PAYMENT ON YOUR NAME BOTH THE
INFORMATION WERE SUCH AS MTCN/SENDER’S NAME /SECRET QUESTION AND ANSWER. WE ARE
VERY UPSET ON THE THIS TRANSFER BECAUSE IT HAS TAKEN MUCH TIME. WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO RECEIVE REQUIRED $48 FROM YOUÂ FOR THE ALLOCATION CODES BEFORE WE
RELEASE THE PAYMENT TO YOU.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS EMAILS ALL YOUR
DATA WILL BE SUBMIT TO THE US FBI THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ORDER
556-73 ESTABLISHES RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE SUBJECT OF AN FBI
IDENTIFICATION RECORD TO OBTAIN A COPY OF HIS OR HER OWN RECORD FOR REVIEW. THE
FBI’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SERVICES (CJIS) DIVISION PROCESSES THESE
REQUESTS. Â
THEN THEY WILL HANDLE THE ISSUE BY THEIR POWER AUTHORITY
BECAUSE YOUR FUNDS HAS BEING HERE FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS AND A LOT OF IDIOTS ON
THE INTERNET ARE USING OUR OFFICE AND NAME OF OUR MANAGEMENT TO RIP PEOPLE OFF.
THIS WAS THE REASON WHYÂ FBI AUTHORIZE US TO CLEAR ALL OUR INTERNATIONAL
TRANSFER OR WE SUBMIT IT TO THEM FOR THE PERFECT VISIT TO HE/HER TO AVOID
RIPPING OFF THE GOOD CITIZEN OF AMERICA IN THE NAME OFÂ WESTERN UNION OFFICE.
THE REPORT HAS ALSO BEEN TAKEN WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE UNITED KINGDOM AND WAS
ADVICE TO NOTIFIED FOR YOUR URGENT PAYMENT OR WE HAND YOUR INFORMATION OVER TO
THE US FBI. YOU ARE ADVICE TO GET BACK TO US THE REQUESTED FEE TO OBTAIN THE
CLEARANCE PAPER FROM THE INLAND REVENUE OFFICE BENIN AND YOUR PAYMENT
INFORMATION WILL BE RELEASE TO YOU FOR TO START PICKING YOUR
FUNDS.
URGENT RESPONSE WITH THE FEE THROUGH THE NAME OF ACCOUNTANT
OFFICER ON THE DESK MR.CHINEDU IWUNOR
NAME:====CHINEDU
IWUNOR
CITY:=====COTONOU
COUNTRY:===BENIN REPUBLIC
QUESTION:===IN GOD
ANSWER:=====WE TRUST
AMOUNT:=====$48USD
Â
DISPATCHED THIS DAY. FOR
INQUIRY, CALL Â +229-98679345Â
+229-98679345
 Â
SINCERELY,
MR.RAYMOND
MCDANEL
 +229-98679345Â
+229-98679345
Western
Union� Money
Transfer,
Head Office Benin
Republic.
Western
Union�
Send Money
Worldwide
|
Anti-fraud resources:
