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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:
- "atm card department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "activation 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. )
- "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. )
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Paul Allen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrpaulallen5@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2015 22:57:08 +0100
Subject: HELLO, ARE YOU (DEAD) OR (ALIVE)
Attention:
My name is Paul Allen, I am the manager of united Bank of Africa ATM CARD department in Nigeria, I am here to inform you that a man and a woman called Mr. Emerson
Brown and Mrs. Jones Brown came to our ATM CARD department office this morning and told us that they are your brother and your sister from your country Mr. Emerson
Brown told us that you are dead.
Mr. Emerson Brown said that you die two months ago in a car accident on your way going to work and before your death you told them that you have an ATM CARD worth of
$10.5 Million dollars and they came here with $500 dollars the activation fee of the ATM card to activate the ATM CARD and collect it.
If real you are dead may your soul rest in perfect peace AMEN, but if you are still alive please due call me on this phone number + 234 810 844 7686 and get back to
me with only $100 dollars activation fee today.
If I did not hear from you today with the $100 dollars activation fee then I will collect the $500 dollars activation fee from Mr. Emerson Brown and Mrs. Jones Brown
and hand the ATM CARD over to them.
Below is the information to send the $100 dollars activation fee via western union money transfer.
RECEIVER NAME: VINCENT CHISA
ADDRESS: LAGOS NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: Good
ANSWER: Man
AMOUNT: $100
Senders name======
MTCN:
Sender Country:
Do have a wonderful day if you are alive but if you are dead may your soul rest in peace (AMEN)
Yours Faithfully
Mr.PaulAllen
Director Swift ATM Credit Card/ Telex Dept
Director-in-charge Cash processing unit (uba
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Anti-fraud resources:
