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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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
- +22998509 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Elizabeth Nakiganda" <webmm.mm0@xtra.co.nz>
Reply-To: westernunincusmer@kimo.com
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:30:06 +1300 (NZDT)
Subject: Mtcn: 1870132312
P {
MARGIN: 0px
}
UL {
MARGIN-TOP: 5px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px
}
OL {
MARGIN-TOP: 5px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px
}
 Â
WESTERN UNIONÂ HEAD OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.FOREGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE TELEPHONE +229-9850-9
WEB
Â
Attn: My Dear .
How are you today ?Hope you are
doing fine over there, I have waited to hear from you but could not hear from
you? why do you keep silence on me? What is the problem? Are you alright at
all???.Â
The Board Of Federal Ministry
Of Finance Benin Republic. Are Here To Notify you that we have already sent you
the first payment of $5000 today, You Are Required to send us the transfer
charges $58 immediately before the stop order will be lifted from your transfer
and you can pick up the first $5000.00 us dollars.
You can check the availability
of the money at the Western Union website which is
this
Mtcn: 1870132312Â
Sender’s First Name:
ElizabethÂ
Sender’s Last
Name: Nakiganda
Test
Question: What
Answer:
Who
You should send the money now
so that you can pick your payment of $5,000 already there and another $5,000
payment will be made tomorrow and Friday and it will continue till all the
payments is completed.
1. Receiver Name :=======Ika
Paul
2.
City/Country:==========Cotonou - Benin Republic.
3. Question=============How
Long
4.
Answer:=============Now
5.
Amonut:=============US$58.00
We seek for your kind
understand and bear with us as we promised to give you the best of our service
towards the transfer of your fund,
Thank you,Â
Mrs.Elizabeth Nakiganda
Director Western
Union.
Â
Â
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Anti-fraud resources:
