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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million us 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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "you are advice to " (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 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.
- greatwesternbankingusa@yahoo.com.au (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "GREAT WESTERN BANK OF AMERICA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <greatwesternbankingusa@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:45:27 -0400
Subject: ATTENTION BENEFICIARY, YOUR FUND IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFER
Great Western Bank
Bank Address. 101 First St City
Carlisle IA Zip 50047
Contact email address: (greatwesternbanking@ymail.com)
greatwesternbankingusa@yahoo.com.au
ATTENTION BENEFICIARY
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THIS BANK JUST CONCLUDED AN EMERGENCY MEETING AS REGARDS YOUR $15, MILLION US DOLLARS WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO HIT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT BEFORE 4PM YOUR LOCAL TIME TODAY.
BUT IN THE PROCESS TO HAVE YOUR FUND RELEASED NOW IT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE BANK THAT YOUR TRANSFER LACK THE FEDERAL RESERVE ENDORSEMENT CERTIFICATE (F.R.E.C) AND UNITED STATE TREASURY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE (U.S.T.C.C) WHICH HAS WARRANTED US TO CONTACT YOU BY INFORMING YOU OF THE CAUSE OF YOUR TRANSFER DELAY.
WE DO NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY DIRTY DEALINGS OF TRYING TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND WITHOUT SECURING THIS TWO VITAL DOCUMENTS BECAUSE IF IT IS FOUND OUT THAT YOU DID NOT SECURE THIS TWO VITAL DOCUMENTS YOUR TRANSFER WILL BE STOPPED AND THIS GREAT WESTERN BANK OF AMERICAN NAME WILL BE BROUGHT INTO THE MUD WHICH WE DO NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH
SIR YOU ARE ADVICE TO RECONFIRM ALL THIS BANKING INFORMATIONS BELLOW IF THERE IS ANY MISTAKE YOU LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID WRONG TRANSFER OR MISTAKE
Bank Name:
Address:
Swift Code:
Routing Number:
IBAN NUmber:
Account Number:
Account Name:
THEREFORE, TO SECURE THESE TWO DOCUMENTS YOU MUST AT AS A MATTER OF URGENCY PAY THE SUM OF $350 VIA OUR CASHIER ACCOUNT INFORMATION BELLOW OR WESTERN UNION, THIS IS THE ONLY TWO WAY WE CAN ADVICE YOU TO MAKE THE PAYMENT AND MAKE SURE THE PAYMENT WAS MADE BEFORE NEXT TWO HOURS BECAUSE YOUR FUND IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFER INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT,
HERE IS OUR WESTERN UNION INFORMATION BELLOW
RECEIVERS NAME: DOROTHY WISE
RECEIVERS ADDRESS: HARTFORD IOWA USA
AMOUNT : $350 ?
TEST QUESTION : WHEN
ANSWER: TODAY
................................................................................
HERE IS OUR CASHIER ACCOUNT INFORMATION
ACCOUNT NAME ... DOROTHY WISE
BANK NAME ... GREAT WESTERN BANK
BANK ADDRESS..101 FIRST ST CITY CARLISLE IA ZIP 50047
SWIFT CODE....USBKUS44I44MT
BANK SAVING ACCT......# 19308755
ROUTING NO...# 0914087344
AMOUNT....... $350
SIR YOU ARE ADVICE TO MAKE A CHOICE BY CHOSEN ANY EASY WAY FOR YOU TO MAKE THE PAYMENT IN THAT TWO OPTIONS
BUT MAKE SURE THE PAYMENT WAS MADE TODAY OR TOMORROW.
PLEASE DO THIS NOW AND CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.
I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.
CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.
best regard
from Mr.Matt Janssen
great western bank fund transfer
department,
Matt Janssen
MR.MATT JANSSEN
DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT
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Anti-fraud resources:
