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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:
- "from the desk of" (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. )
- "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. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: His Excellency <webofficewebsaspse2@xtra.co.nz>
Reply-To: hisexcellency57@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 03:34:29 +1200 (NZST)
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT OF
FEDERAL PEOPLE REPUBLIC OF
BENIN
LIBERATION
PALACE
COTONOU
REPUBLIC DU
BENIN
FROM THE DESK
OF THE PRESIDENT
His Excellency
Dr
Boni Yayi
President &
Commander-Of-The-Armies-Forces
Liberation Palace
REF
NO:.........PDSF/OSI/OO2/
DSF2O13
DATE:-....13/05/2013
ATTENTION
I receive email from western union and money
gram today consignal your first payment of $4.800.00 and like you saying that
you can send only $97dollar tomorrow if you can raise the money today because
once you send the money today just give my urgent only 25mins to you to receive
your first payment immediately ok
and my promise to you is that
immediately you send the $97 dollar today call my office number +22967072194
to know that you have make the payment of $97 dollar ok
1. RECEIVER :::::::::,UBAH ANDY
2. COUNTRY:::::::::BENIN
REPUBLIC.
CITY::::::::::::COTONOU.
3.
QUESTION::::::::::::::RIGHTNOW?
4. ANSWER::::::::::::TODAY?
5.
AMOUNT:::::::::::::::: YOU SENT?
MTCN:::::::::::::::::::::
SENDER
NAME::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SENDER
ADDRESS:::::::::::::::::::
TEL:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::
AWAITING FOR YOUR URGENT MAIL
TODAY.
Remember this
Code number which is meant for your security{W.P.TRUST GOD)
I WISH
YOU GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY XMASS.
YOURS IN SERVICE
VICE PRESIDENT BARRISTER
S.N.OKONKWO..
WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.
FOREIGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE
THIS IS OUR CONDUCT
CODE
Remember that Winners never STOPPED midways
on their track but went ahead boldly without Fears to the Finishing Line to win
the Crown!!!
HIS EXCELLENCY THE
PRESIDENT,
Dr
Boni Yayi
Presiednt &
Commander-in-Chief Of The
Armies Forces
Republic Du
Benin
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Anti-fraud resources:
