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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:
- "required fee " (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. )
- "million 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)
- "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.
- 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.
- +22999 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- dhlcompa.nypedroluis@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Pedro Luis <atmcarddelivery30@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: dhlcompa.nypedroluis@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:15:46 +0200
Subject: YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED
ATTENTION..
THIS IS TO VERIFIED YOU THAT YOU ARE ALIVE OR YOU ARE DEAD BECAUSE MRS
JOY FRANKLIN COME'S TO OUR OFFICE THIS MORNING AND SHE HAS ALREADY
STATED EVERY THING IN YOUR PRESENT THAT YOU ARE NOT ALIVE YOU ARE
DEAD, THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO NOTIFIED YOU THAT SOME ONE COME TO
CALMS YOUR FUNDS WHICH IS SUM OF $12.5million Dollars IN YOUR PRESENT
AND WE REQUESTED EVERY THING FROM HER THAT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT SEND
HER TO COME AND CALMS YOUR FUNDS OF SUM OF $12.5million Dollars WITH
YOUR CONFRONTATION DITA LS .
MOREOVER IN THE PROCESS OF THIS ISSUER OF YOUR FUND THAT IN THE DHL
CURIAL COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC OFFICE THAT IS ALWAYS DELIVERY FUND S TO
THE OWNERS OF THE FUND WITH OUT ANY FURTHER DELAYING AND NO STOPPAGE
TO YOUR HOME ADDRESS WITH OUT MISSING YOUR DOORSTEP.
AFTER SHE HAS STATED EVERY THING TO US WE DEMAND OWNERSHIP
CERTIFICATE FROM HER TO BE SURE THAT BEFORE WE SHOULD DELIVER THE FUND
TO HER DOORSTEP WITH OUT ANY STOPPAGE OKAY.
BELOW DOWN THE INFORMATION WHERE YOU CAN USE TO SEND THE NEEDED FEE IT
WILL COST HER SOME OF¨$490 DOLLAR BEFORE WE WILL COMMERCE EVERY THING
TODAY WITH OUT ANY FURTHER DELAYING OKAY.
SO TRY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN SEND THE REQUIRED FEE SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER
YOUR FUND TO YOUR DOORSTEP TODAY WITH OUT ANY FURTHER DELAYING OKAY
BELLOW IS THE INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND THE REQUIRED FEE THROUGH
WESTERN.UNION OR MONEY GRAM OFFICE TO ENABLE US TO DELIVER YOUR FUND
TO YOU WITH OUT ANY FURTHER DELAYING.
SO YOU HAVE TO CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS
EMAIL(dhlcompa.nypedroluis@yahoo.com.hk)OR CALL +229)99_869_135
SEND THE MONEY USING
BELOW INFORMATION;
1.RECEIVER NAME:====MR.BASIL NDU
COUNTRY:=====BENIN REPUBLIC .
3.CITY :===========COTONOU.
4.TEST QUESTION:=======HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:==========PAYMENT
6.AMOUNT:==============$90 00 USD,
MTCN....................
YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .
REGARD
Pedro Luis
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