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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand 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)
- 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.
- westerunion603@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: FRANK OKOYE <paymentofficebenin@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <westerunion603@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 10:37:26 +0000
Subject: Money Transfer Control Number# 039-029-8394
--
My Dear Friend!
This is to inform you that I have cashed the Check I been expecting and
decided to use Western Union Money Transfer method to send your own
share of the money which yours is [USD$ 800.000.00] Eight Hundred
Thousand United State Dollars. And I have reached an agreement with
Western Union Manager this morning to start sending your fund bit by bit
till the total fund complete.
According to the Western Union Money Transfer Manager, this morning his
Secretary has started sending your fund as agreed and following is the
Pick up details of the fund his Secretary sent to your name this
morning:
He sent sum of USD$ 7000.00 while the first payment details is as
follow:
----------------------------------------
Money Transfer# 039-029-8394
Sender's Name: David Lame
Test Question: Best Color
Test Answer: Yellow
Amount Sent: [$3,500]
_________________________________________
Second Payment Details is also as follow:
-----------------------------------------
Money Transfer# 590-437-0136
Sender's Name: Jacqueline Grover
Test Question: Best Color
Test Answer: Yellow
Amount Sent: [$3,500]
__________________________________________
Kindly pick up the funds and get back to me so that Western Union here
will be able to send another payment today. Reply via email:
westerunion603@yahoo.com] or call me here once you pick up the above
payments: +229 9829 2981.
Waiting to hear from you.
Mr. Frank Okoye.
PH: +229 9829 2981
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