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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. )
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "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: "US AMBASSADOR Thomas C, Foley" <peterjhn80@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usambassadorthomas@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 16 May 2014 19:13:37 +1200
Subject: UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR
UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR
FROM US AMBASSADOR Thomas C, Foley.
US AMBASSADOR TO BENIN
11 GARKI ROAD COTONOU
COTONOU, BENIN
ATTN:
I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING ON THURSDAY AND I WILL BE BRINGING WITH YOUR FUNDS OF $20M ALONG WITH ME BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN AMBASSADOR TO BENIN, I AM A US GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS. AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR ADDRESS. (SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE PACKAGE).
IF YOU HAVE SENT THE NEEDED CHARGE I WANT YOU TO EMAIL ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION SO THAT I WILL PICK UP THE $295 TO WORK OUT EVERYTHING SO THAT I WILL BE COMING TO YOUR DOORSTEP WITH YOUR PACKAGE BOX DELIVERY OK. YOU NEED TO HURRY UP BY SENDING THE NEEDED FEE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEND IT BECAUSE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THE FEE IS ONLY DELAY AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I COME WITH YOUR DELIVERY OK.
YOUR PACKAGE($20M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $295 THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 10HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION SO THAT ALL NECCESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US. SEND THE FEE VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
RECEIVER'S NAME:________BASIL OKECHUKWU UDEALOR
ADDRESS:_____________ BENIN REPUBLIC
TEXT QUESTION:_______ IN GOD?
ANSWER: ____________TRUST
AMOUNT _____________$295
MTCN-----------
SEMDING NAME----
AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION. MY FLIGHT IS THURSDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE.
AMBASSADOR thomas foley.
CALL ME NOW: +22968656505 OR 0022999941852
UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR
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Anti-fraud resources:
