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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "are expected to pay " (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "lagos" (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.
- 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.
- customers.carr@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. James Jackson" <sales@acewide.com>
Reply-To: customers.carr@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:16:49 +0800
Subject: Greeting from USA I.R.S
U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department
Internal Revenue Service United States Treasury Department
Accessibility Skip to Top Navigation
Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington, DC 20520
Greeting from USA I.R.S,
Attention Dear Consignment Owner!!!
We write to inform you that your package with reference number 2661428
has been in Customs facility custody waiting the resolutions of the
clearance to further the delivery to your destinated address by our
Diplomatic Agent who came all the way from Africa (NIGERIA). We have
been waiting for you to contact us regarding your consignment box
which the agent suppose to deliver to you but was on hold by USA
Customs Department and they are requesting for the clearance Ownership
certificate which will be obtain from the origination of the
consignment box before it will be released from the Customs to the
delivery agent to complete the delivery to you in your country.
After the phone call we made on your behalf to the USA Customs
Authority and the Government of Republic of nigeria, it was resolved
that the delivery of your consignment to your destination must be
completed within two (2) working days upon your compliance to our
directives;
You are required to send sum of $75.00 USD to obtain the needed
Ownership-clearance certificate from the Federal High Court Of Justice
of Nigeria because the clearance charges which was initially on the
high price has been cut down by the US Embassy in nigeria considering
the poor economic situations that made it difficult for the middle
class citizens to meet up with the clearance of their entitlement.
We will upon the confirmation of your clearing charge assign our
Diplomatic Agent (Eric Toha) to proceed the delivery to your
destination once you notify us with the payment information and the
needed ownership clearance certificate from the federal Republic of
nigeria, the USA Customs will release your consignment to you and it
will be delivered to you by our agent.
You can contact us with the following information,
Contact person: Mr.Johnson Ademola
Tel: +234-81-6868-8656
Email: customers.carr@yahoo.co.uk
Note that you are expected to pay only $75.00 USD for
Ownership-clearance certificate and you are to pay it to the
origination of the package in favor of MRS OSUJI BLESSING NGOZI as our
account officer in the federal Republic of nigeria and the $75.00 USD
will sent send via western union or money gram once you receive this
mail with the information below for immediate release of your package,
PAYMENT INFORMATION
RECEIVER'S NAME==== MRS OSUJI BLESSING NGOZI
COUNTRY: ======= NIGERIA
CITY:======= LAGOS
TEST QUESTION:======= COLOUR
ANSWER:========== GREEN
MTCN;================
AMOUNT:=========$75.00USD
Once you send the money please try to notify us with the MTCN/
refrence number from western Union Money Transfer so that we can
contact (MRS OSUJI BLESSING NGOZI) for easy pick up and for immediate
action on the release of your Ownership clearance certificate.
Note that any unclaimed consignment will be return to federal republic
of nigeria Government after 7 days. So you are urgently advised to
comply with our directives so that the Customs will release your
consignment as soon as possible.
.
Thank You
Yours Sincerely.
Mr. James Jackson
Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service.
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