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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. )
- 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.
- info.treasuredeptoffice@safe-mail.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Johnson Williams" <wj1942094@gmail.com>
Reply-To: info.treasuredeptoffice@Safe-mail.net
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2015 22:40:47 +0100
Subject: Your Kind Respond Is Needed.
How are you doing.
My Name is Mr.Johnson Williams,the person in charge Treasury
Department,International wire transfers Benin Republic Federal
Ministry of Finance.
You are to reply through this my official email addres(
info.treasuredeptoffice@Safe-mail.net )because this is to inform you
that your fund was brought to my desk because the director &
management of some banks transfer have decleared to divert your fund
to the government treasury account just because you can not pay the
wire transfer fee.
In reasoning wisely to this complain i told them to wait untill i hear
from you today so that i will know the reason why you decide to
rejected such amount of money USD$2.5Million which is your righful &
legal overdue inheritance payment just because of transfer fee.
The reason why i sent this email to you is because its your sweat and
for this reason you still have this last chance to claim your fund if
you can send $75. today because i have already arranged your wires
ready for its daily wires to you but failling to do this,i will allow
them to have power over your fund and am very sorry if you failed as
this is the last chance.
Therefore,send the $75. immediately you receive this email today and
email your full name and address to me if you want your USD$2.5Million
be send to you by this treasury office.
The second option is for you to send me the full detail of your bank
account if you want your fund be fully transfer by direct bank to bank
wire transfer to your account at once.
Here is the western union information in the name of our accountant to
avoid delay in receiving your fund and remember that i have done my
best for you and i will make sure that your wire will begin to
releasing to you from the moment you sent this $75. today.
Send the $75. now and send me email with the western union mtcn
numbers when you send the money.
Receivers Name:...NDUBUISI KINGSLEY OKAFOR.
Pay-Out Country:... Benin Republic
Test Question:.. Very Urgent
Answer :.. Needed Now.
Amount to send: ...$75.
Send it and email the MTCN control number,amount sent and name of
sender to me for easy collection and once again remember to reply
through this my official email address(
info.treasuredeptoffice@Safe-mail.net )
Thanks
Mr.Johnson Williams.
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