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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: MoneyGram Transfer <docu-office-file@yandex.com>
Reply-To: MoneyGram Transfer <moneygramtransfer7090@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2015 03:55:43 +0900 (JST)
Subject: May I Have Your Attention Please?
Dear Valued Customer,
I write in respect of your Overdue Funds which your FILE was recovered in our office since our old Board of Directors was failed to complete your transaction. However my name is Mr. Edward John and I was appointed as the new General Manager Money Gram Legal Affairs Cotonou-Benin Republic.
Therefore we wish to inform you about the new development concerning your Unclaimed funds in our office which you are demanding to pay $400.00 sometimes ago for securing of FUNDS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE to enable your transaction commence which you did not meet up with the requirement than.
Moreover here is the good news after our Board of Directors meeting this morning with Ministry of Finance they has given us instructions to wave 80% of the cost in other to assure that any unclaimed funds owned to foreign beneficiaries were released before the 10th of this month December.
Therefore, Hence our management is concerned we are offering a Special BONUS this month to help you receive your abandoned funds in our office due to of the amount required from you last time in other words this management is now requesting that you will pay just 20% percent of the total cost which is $80.00 and you will start receiving your payment from our office.
Besides we want you to understand that this is the only opportunity for you to receive your payment this year and you have to comply immediately to enable us secure the FUNDS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE Re-new your FILE and start your payment as agreed with Ministry of Finance.
Note: Your total FUNDS was US$1.5 Million and you will be receiving $9,000.00 on a every day as a limitation amount we can transfer to an individual per daily therefore it's your duty to hurry up and send the $80 today so that we will commence with your payment immediately.
Therefore below is the information for you to send the fee through our service Money Gram OR Western Union:
RECEIVER NAME: ====== MICHAEL DOM
COUNTRY: ====== BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY: ======= COTONOU
SECRET QUESTION: ==== COLOR
ANSWER: Â ====== WHITE
AMOUNT: ===== $80
KINDLY FORWARD THE BELLOW DETAILS TO US ONCE THE PAYMENT SENT.
MTCN / Ref Number
Senders Name
Sender’s Full address
NOTE: This offer valid only but 72 hours from today 7th December 2015 to 10th December 2015 therefore treat as matter of urgency so that you will start receiving your payment without further delays.
Please be advice to treat this issue as urgent as possible because any unpaid file will be returned our Government treasury account and it will be confiscated.
We are awaiting your urgent reply.
Yours Sincerely
Mr. Edward John
+229 9673 1025
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