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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:
- "required 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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- unionw985@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Rose Mike" <ebubed@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "Mrs.Rose Mike" <unionw985@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2014 13:26:04 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Dear Beneficiary:
  Dear Beneficiary:
The Board of federal ministry of finance benin republic. are here tonotify you of your payment inherited funds of $5.4M.000. after the meetingheld on 30 th of november 2014. His Exelence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLICOF BENIN DR YAYI BONI. has Instructed this Department to send your fundsthrough western union money transfer for easier receive of yourinherinted funds without any further delay. to avoid paying money to thefraud stars that is going on through the global. you are required to sendyour name and address were you want your fund to be send through westernunion the maximium amount you will be receiving each day starting fromtomorrow is the sum of $5000.00. also your are required to send us the sumof $75 dollar for re-newing and recofirming your file that was depositedin this office with your name and address bellow.Beneficiary name---------------------Address--------------------------------Tel phone-----------------------------
Contact with this informations below:CONTACT PERSON: MR JOSEPH PETERTelephone: +Email (unionw985@yahoo.com)EMAIL: As soon as the required fee of $75 is send today for the renewingreconfirming the payment file of your funds you will start receiving yourfunds as from tomorrow.Send the $75 dollar through western union with thename and address below:Here the information,
Country:........Republic of BeninCity:.......CotonouReceivers Name:.........John EzeText:...............WhenAnswer:................NowAmount:..........$75
We await to receive the western union payment informations today.Email MR JOSEPH PETERon this Email (unionw985@yahoo.com) for him to know that you have contacted himwith your information's.Yours in serviceMrs.Rose Mike (ESQ).Finance MinisteryFederal republic of Benin.
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