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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.
- 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. )
- "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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- 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.
- 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.
- moneygram_h@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Ken David" <webzzz120@yahoo.cn>
Reply-To: moneygram_h@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:06:48 +0800 (CST)
Subject: CONTACT REV ERIC DUKE FOR YOU MONEY GRAM PAYMENT DETAILS
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Attn Dear Beneficiary;
Â
The Board of federal ministry of finance Benin Republic are hereby to
notify
You of your payment inheritance funds of US $3.8million after the
meeting held
On 10th of Oct 2012.
Â
His Excellence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
BENIN (DR YAYI
BONI) has instructed this Department to send your funds through
Our MONEY
GRAM money transfer, for easy receive of your inheritance fund
Without any
further delay to avoid paying money to the fraud stars that is going
On
through internet now, you are required to send your name and address
Where
you want your fund to be send to you through MONEYGRAM MONEY
TRANSFER.
The maximum amount you will be receiving per a day starting from
tomorrow is
$8,000.00) and the MTCN NO will be sent along with the Text
Questions &
Answers for you to receive your fund through any MONEY GRAM
Location in your
Country, but note that you will require to pay sum of $85.00
only, for their
Transfer charges fee ok.
Â
Send your information to REV.ERIC DUKE .MONEY GRAM money transfer
in
Cotonou Benin Republic.
Receiver
name================
Country=====================
City====================
Test
question================.
Answer===================
Tel
phone====================
Age=======================
Occupation==============
Copy
of your Picture====ID
Â
For further procedure Contact our payment officer with the
information below;
Attention; REV.ERIC DUKE
Tel; +229 996 09518
Email
;( moneygram_h@yahoo.co.uk)
Try
to fill the Above Information where they will be sending you your
money,
You’re faithfully
Mr. Ken David
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Anti-fraud resources:
