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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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- 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.
- westernunionfile01@yahoo.com.tr (Yahoo, Turkey; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Elizabeth Williams." <mrdonsagay556@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: westernunionfile01@yahoo.com.tr
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:58:32 +0700
Subject: GOOD NEWS,
--=20
Hello My Dear
I am writing to inform you about your compensation wining fund of
{Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Usd Dollars}.As instructed by the
Federal Ministry of Finance Your Fund will be sending to you
install-mentally $5000 daily through western union money transfer.This
type of transfer means you will be receiving $5000 every day through
western union until your total Fund is completely Transfer to
you.Kindly contact western union head office with below email address
and reconfirm your receiving information to them
Contact person... Mr Jimmy Peter {Western Union Manager}
Western Union Email { westernunionfile01@yahoo.com.tr } Tel... +234
7054 232780
1. Your full receiver name ::::::::
2. Your city / country::::::::: =20
3. Current phone number:::::::: :
Remember the only money will must pay to the western union office is
tax clearance charge of ($125usd) as per the instruction from (I.M.F)
before the western union will start transferring the fund to you.
Your Sincerely
Mrs Elizabeth Williams.
Foreign Operation Dept
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