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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. )
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "cotonou" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- transferurgent625@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.James Lord" <vincenzo.duncan@alice.it>
Reply-To: western_union_1999@inbox.ru
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:34:30 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Amount: $3000.00USD
Dear Customer.
$200.000.00Usd Compensation From Benin Republic.
Breaking News,This is to inform you that the higher authorities that is in
charge of international transaction has this morning declared that you
will receive your
$200.000.00Usd(Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) through Western
Union Money Transfer Only as compensation for your past effort here in
Benin Republic.
So the arrangement has been made this morning and the Federal High Court
Of Justice has signed your Western Union Transfer Papers and the only
money you will pay is
$35. for the signing of it which means your transfer will start tomorrow
morning.
The daily transfer of your fund is $3000.00 per day until your total
$200.000.00Usd(Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) is completely
transferred to you.
I am here to swear to you that your first payment of the $3000.00 daily
transfer will be on its way today or latest tomorrow morning once we
confirm the $49 from you
which is for the Federal High Court Of Justice Benin Republic signing of
your Western Union Transfer Papers.To show you the truth.
Below is the First transfer payment details which has been insert into our
computer.
Sender’s Fist name:Roy
Sender’s Last Name:Heath
Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN):3358547826
Question: Who Is Great
Answer: God
Amount: $3000.00USD
Then we want you to type WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
and click tracking and
pest sender's first name and last name,the you pest mtcn number and click
check status to see
that your first transfer of $3000.00 is available for you but you will not
pick it until you pay the needed $49 for the signing of your Western Union
Transfer Papers
by the Federal High Court Benin Republic.
So we are here giving you this Western Union Payment Information
Information for you to send the $49 immediately and your first transfer of
the $3000.00 will be on its
way after we pick the $49;
RECEIVER'S NAME...ALEX NNEL
COUNTRY....BENIN REPUBLIC
STATE..COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION..HONEST
ANSWER.... TRUST
AMOUNT NEEDED.....$49 ONLY
MTCN NUMBER...
SENDER'S NAME....
We wait for your mail with the $49 from you and be rest assured that you
will receive your total compensation of $200.000.00Usd from us because
this is General Western
Union Head Office here in Benin Republic.
Finally you are advise to stop emailing any office or department here in
Benin Republic until you receive your full compensation from us,this is
for your security.
Call us with +229 64055648
E-mail( transferurgent625@gmail.com )
Yours sincerely,
Mr.James Lord.
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