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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. )
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "finance.department@yahoo.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.
- +447024084948 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: MONEY GRAM PAYMENT <ce00701@ed.gba.gov.ar> (may be fake)
Reply-To: finance.department@yahoo.cn
Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 05:51:54 -0300
Subject: PAYMENT.
Attn: Recipient,
We want to inform you that your funds of £18,000,000.00 have been payed to you
by the BBC FINANCE DEPARTMENT through Money gram with your Money gram Reference:
39687045 to collect your funds in any Money gram Office in your Country.You can
confirm your Money gram Reference No:39687045 through the Money gram
Website:www.moneygram.com.
Why we need your information below because so that you can be able to collect
your funds in any money gram in your Country:
Full Name:
Country Address:
Phone No:
Country:
You will contact us through Our Email Address:(finance.department@yahoo.cn) so
that we can give your information to collect your funds in any Money gram Office
in your Country as soon as possible.
We are waiting for your urgent reply.
YOUR FAITHFULLY,
DR HELEN COLE
MANAGING DIRECTOR
BBC FINANCE DEPARTMENT
UNITED KINGDOM
0845 838 1815 (UK Local Rate)
+44 7024084948(From Outside UK)
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Anti-fraud resources:
