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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:
- "insurance 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. )
- "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. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "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: "MR. JIM NWAOBODO" <officedocument835@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "MR. JIM NWAOBODO" <dhlcourier60@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 16:11:56 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: DHL BRANCH OFFICE COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC.. PLOT 8. AHMED
WAY.VICTORIA ISIAND. COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC.
Attention Dear:
Thanks very much for your mail.The DHL COURIER COMPANY here Issued your
ATM CARD PAYMENT of your compensation family Inheritance payment worth of
US ( $8.400.000,000 ) on the Card.
It was registered with the With us DHL delivery company to bring it to you
in your country at your doorstep but after sometimes the company returned
the Card to our DHL COURIER DELIVERY DEPARTMENT saying that they were
giving a wrong address.
Therefore, our General Director MR. JIM NWAOBODO decided to Contact you on
your email address and inform you what the company said.That was the email
you received. So, It had been concluded in our department here that we
will hear from you and know if you will send the US$50USD for the
insurance fee to the Company to enable us go and Resend the CARD
today.because we don't want to risk the CARD ,you know this the second
attempt to send the CARD.
I want to assure you that immediately this COMPANY receives this payment
then your ATM CARD will get to your address within express delivery 48
hours at your doorstep.
We are registering it express to avoid any further delay and immediately
you receive it then you will take it to any bank around you and change
your pin code and start using the card.
The amount you will be withdraw per day is $5000.00 daily and this is
the maximum limit of the card per day. So i am waiting to receive your
mail with your Telephone Number where we will TEXT YOUR ATM PIN CODE.
As soon as you receive this mail kindly go to western union or money gram
office and wire to us the Insurance fee US$50 USD with these below
information. you call with this number +229 99 92 01 31
Receiver's Name-------- ANTHONY EMAKA
Country---------------------------Benin Republic.
City---------------------------------Cotonou.
Test Question------------------HOW LONG?
Answer----------------------------NOW.
Amount............................US$50USD
MTCN........................................
SENDER NAMES....................
Immediately we receive this payment through our cashier then your ATM CARD
will be registered immediately and PIN CODE TEXTED TO YOUR PHONE.
I am waiting to receive your mail with evidence of the payment such as
listed above.
Looking forward to hear from you soon and thanks for your understanding.
BEST REGARDS,
Dr. Kelly OBI
DIRECTOR, DHL COURIER COMPANY .COTONOU
BENIN REPUBLIC.
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