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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:
- 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. )
- 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: =?UTF-8?B?Ildlc3Rlcm4gVW5pb24gTW9uZXkgVHJhbnNmZXIi?= <alexnzima5@terra.com.ar>
Date:
Subject:
Our Ref : WUMT0XX2/987.
14/04/2014
Dear :
There is an issue wi=
th the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of US$1.5 Million directe=
d in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03, at the owner of this email ad=
dress. The INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND contacted us for the release of your=
fund some couple of hour's ago, due to your allocated security code they c=
hoose to transfer it to you through Western Union but we are unable to comp=
lete a transfer directed at an email address, so we require more informatio=
n in order to complete
this transfer as listed below.
FULL NAME:<=
br>FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
YOUR PASSPORT:
N=
ote: It's directly from the Management of Western Union Money Transfer Beni=
n Republic Head Office and our Motto is to "SERVE YOU BETTER". we will be s=
ending you US$5,000 per transfer because to transfer the total fund into yo=
ur account will cost you more that is why they has given us order to sendin=
g it via WESTERN UNION.
Contact us on our
E-mail : ericthevissen@gmai=
l.com
Phone number : +229-99 81 66 47
Thanks,
Management. (303=
)
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Anti-fraud resources:
