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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "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. )
- "million 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)
- "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.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- www.westernuniondept@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: western union office <westernuionheadoffice@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 May 2012 00:19:27 +0200
Subject: REF: TRANSFER DETAIL OF ($4500.00 USD MTCN )
*Attention;Dear Customer,
We are given new Month bonus to all our customers who has Fund with us in
our custody since last year 2011 without claim, now you are given new
month bonus to pay $75usd instead of $195 that you have being giving to pay
for the activation fee. So you have to go now and send the $75usd for the
activation of your payment file with the name of our Assistant Accountant
officer.
So now i want you to use this name and Address of our Accountant officer to
send the $75usd for the activation fee as we are giving bonus to all our
customers because we have already process the transfer, but it is only the
$75usd for the activation fee of your payment file is holding the Transfer
of your Total Funds $1.5Million United State Dollars, So we are now waiting
for the payment information for us to proceed on the transfer immediately.
BELLOW IS THE INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND THE MONEY $75USD,
1.receiver name:...Mmadubueze Joseph.
2.country:.........Benin Republic.
3.city :...........Cotonou
4.test question:....How long?
5.test answer:.....Now
6.sender name.................
7.Senders address.............
8.Senders Tel...........
Send us the MTCN number immediately you send the money and immediately we
confirm the activation fee of $75usd then we will send you the first
receipt of your $4500 today or first thing tomorrow morning.
Regards my direct phone line is +229 99-40 2900.
email address; ( www.westernuniondept@yahoo.it )
Mr.Michael Jaja
Operations Manager.
Western Union Department*
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Anti-fraud resources:
