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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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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: "Mr William E. Henry" <gadingprima_nl@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: forgrinoperationb@winning.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:06:54 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: ATTN Dear customer:
FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
OPPOSITE
TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.
ATTN Dear customer:
bellow is your first payment of $6000usd but
you could not pick it up because we later got siginal from central bank of Benin
CBB that your account hass been dormat for long, for that reason you must pay
for $275usd for actvation of your account, remember that the needed $275 should
deduct or take of your total fund because any dormat account can not work till
after the actvaction.
For your convenience check your first $6000.00
installment transfer online at on the space provided at western union http://www.westernunion.com/info/homePage.asp?country=BJ&origination=US
clicks TRACKING and fill the bellow information
website.
Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) :#
9611517744
Senders Name ; Patrick Wilfred
Question: In God
Answer: We
trust
Amount: US$6000
You are adivce to pay the $275 to our
accountact receiver agent.
Receiver name::: Seimon
Mgbata
Counttry::: Benin
Republic
Question :::
Amount
Answer:::$275
only.
Sender name:::
MTCN:::
This is your Opportunity now for you to
receive your fund without any futher delay. For your Information, Direct call
+22998439279
Best Regards,
Mr William E. Henry,
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION
OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
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Anti-fraud resources:
