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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:
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "lagos" (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 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.
- webmst6@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.BENSON CHUKS"<benchucks@Pdfundingservices.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: webmst6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:37:15 -0800
Subject: CONGRATULATION !!!
Attention;
This is to inform you that we the western union department have been instructed to pay your fund
$4.5million U.S.A Dollars by America security leading team and America
representative embassy after meeting held on 12TH with Mr president YAYI
BONI. then between now until end of octorber 2015 per day you will
receive the sum of $8,000 Dollars,However be informed that we have send
the sum of $8,000 Dollars this morning to avoid cancellation of your
payment though it was agreed that you will pay the sum of $75 before
payment department will release the payment to you.
Below is the contact information of Manager foreign payment operation who
is incharge of release of your payment.
Western Union Operation Manager Dr.BENSON CHUKS.
Phone Number +2349056102555
Email:(webmst6@gmail.com)
Don't fail to call this office if you encounter any problem with the
payment MTCN
Note.you have only 6 hours to call this office upon the receipt of this
email the $75 serve as re-confirmation of your file
payment from the office in charge. the maximum amount you will be
receiving per day starting from today is $8,000 in three
different payments and the Money Transfer Control Number of today is below.
THIS IS YOUR MTCN NO CLICK TRACKING
Website:https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderResults.asp?country=BJ
SENDERS FIRST NAME: DAVID
SENDERS LAST NAME : MOORE
MTCN :::::::::::: 2986473134
AMOUNT : $8,000.00USD
TEXT QUESTION : WHEN
ANSWER : TODAY
Find below information where you send the require $75. for the immediate
release of your payment
Receiver name __ Marson Bell
Country ___ Nigeria
State _____ Lagos
Question ___ Colour
Answer ____Green
Amount to send ___ $75 USD
MTCN................?????
SENDERS NAME........................????
Be advise that the $75 is a compulsory as they told me that is only money
you will pay until you receive your payment completely
Feel free to call this department in case if you encounter any problem
don't forget to email us the require information such
as your current telephone number so that we can call you once we send any
payment.
Yours in Service,Western Union Agent
Mr.WILLIAN EDWARD
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Anti-fraud resources:
