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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. )
- "registration 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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: <suporte@ourinhos.sp.gov.br>
Reply-To: johann.terry@barid.com
Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:14:55 -0300
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED!!!!!
ECOWAS COMMISSION
DEBT LIQUIDATION COMMITTEE
Economic Commission Of West African States
48 AKPATA TOKPA ROAD COTONOU, BENIN REPUBLIC.
Attention.
The Accredited WESTERN UNION for your payment.
THE (ECOWAS) Economic Of West African State??s GOVERNMENTS Resolved to pay you an ACCRUED INTEREST of your overdue Inheritance/contract and compensation Payment is now released on a special method of payment by WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER,Which shall be transferring to you on an installmental bases of $5000 every day until the whole $1.500,000.00 is completely Transferred to you. You ?®re therefore charging to reconfirm your drawee details.
Your Full Name.....
Your Full Address....
Your Phone Number....
Your Occupation.....
Send the required details to MR.godwin mike at...(johann.terry@barid.com) OR call +229 68450759 he is in position to release your payment via WESTERN UNION MONEY PAYMENT DEPARMENT TRANSFER.
Note. You will certainly pay a $520 for beneficiary payment releasing order registration fee. do update to us as soon as you drawn your first and second payment. And no money shall deduct from your main fund $1.5 Million USD this is to keep an accurate account of your payments and to avoids hoax since you were disappointed in the past.
Hope you know the routine of withdrawing money via w/u ? WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER shall supply you with some ten digit numbers alias (mtcn) money control numbers, text question and answer, the amount and your address as a drawee.You shall withdraw the monies from western union locations nearest to you .
Best Regards....
Comrade. Johhan Terry
EOWAS COMMISSION.
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