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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)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: USA AMBASSADOR TO MALAYSIA <john.england2011@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usambassadortomalaysiaoffice11@usa.com
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 14:07:29 -0800
Subject: FROM: US AMBASSADOR TO MALAYSIA . URGENT RESPONSE IS NEEDED
Embassy of the United States of America
Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive Jalan Tun Razak.
Central District Area, Ampang Malaysia.
Office Land Telephone +60177286997
DEAR: BENEFICIARY.
THIS IS Ambassador James K. Entwistle Fiore. U.S. Ambassador to
MALAYSIA. UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR TO MALAYSIA. I SHALL BE
COMING TO YOUR STATE FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING ON FRIDAY AND I WILL BE
BRINGING YOUR FUNDS THROUGH AN ATM MASTER CARD OF $1.5M ALONG WITH ME
BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE .AS AN AMBASSADOR
TO MALAYSIA, 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 YOUR PACKAGE AND MEET YOU FACE TO
FACE. SO THAT YOU WILL SIGN THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR ATM CARD.
YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME WONDER.
YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND
THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE GREAT DOUBT AND DISTRUST IN YOUR HEART
IN RESPECT TO THIS EMAIL COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT SO MANY MISCREANTS
AND IMPOSTERS(SCAMMERS) HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE INTERNET TO
FACILITATE THEIR NEFARIOUS DEEDS, THEREBY MAKING IT EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT FOR GENUINE AND LEGITIMATE BUSINESS CLASS PERSONS TO GET
ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION
YOUR PACKAGE($1.5M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR
ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $98Usd. THE
FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION SO THAT ALL
NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.
YOU SHOULD SEND THE FEE DIRECTLY TO THE CARGO REGISTRATION OFFICER
WITH THE INFO BELOW-
RECEIVERS NAME: ADAMA ZUBAIR
ADDRESS: KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA.
AMOUNT $98Usd
QUESTION: TO WERE
ANSWER: MALAYSIA
MTCN:
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT
INFORMATION. MY FLIGHT IS TOMORROW MORNING 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.
SIGN
Ambassador James K. Entwistle Fiore.
US AMBASSADOR TO MALAYSIA
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Anti-fraud resources:
