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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "western.unionbn@outlook.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "western.unionbn@outlook.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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: "Mr. David Hassan" <federalbureau357@gmail.com>
Reply-To: western.unionbn@outlook.fr
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2016 12:06:08 +0100
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?WESTERN_UNION_BONUS=E2=80=8F?=
Western Union Money Transfer®
Western Union Send Money Worldwide
Welcome to Western Union Money Transfer office Benin Republic.
ADDRESS: 17, BP OPPOSITE POST OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC.
Website: www.westernunion.com
Email (western.unionbn@outlook.fr
Customer Care recipient:
Today we have finally sent you the first install mental payment of
$5000usd as directed by your depositor but the payment was kept on
hold because your account file here is DORMANT so it needs to be
REACTIVATE to be active.
We also want you to know that this office has embarked on the END of
the YEAR BONUS which the REACTIVATION FEE was brought down to $57usd
instead of the normal $105usd. We did this so that all our customers
will be able to pay it and start receiving their payments before the
year runs off.
Note that if you cannot pay this fee for three days, the first payment
already sent will be withdrawn.
You are sure that once this reactivation fee is paid , the first
already sent payment will be released to you so that will be able to
pick it up at any Western Union office or agent near you in your area.
Below is the information for the first payment of $ 5000us shown will
be available for you to pick, but you cannot pick it because the text
of the question and the answer is suspended until payment of
reactivation fee is confirmed of US$57
SENDER ======== Wilfred Patrick
COUNTRY ====REPUBLIC OF BENIN
AMOUNT ======== $ 5000USD
M.T.C. ======== 9611517744
Text Quest======= ?
Text Ans======== ?
TRACK IT AS BELOW:
www.westernunion.com
MTCN; ------------------------------ --
Sender Name: ---------------------
Sender second name: -------------
You will find it available for pickup as the receiver but cannot until
this reactivation fee is paid.
PAYMENT IS SCHEDULED AND be perfected.
Please note that we cannot release your fund without this reactivation
fee being paid.
I will advise you to make this payment as soon as possible so that
your QUEST and ANSWER will be released today for immediate pick up.
You are advised to proceed immediately to any nearest western union or
Money Gram and send this post Reactivation through the name of our
cashier with the information listed below:
Receiver Name: ... Sunday Ogugua
ADDRESS: ........ Park Road, Cotonou, Benin Republic.
CITY: ......... Cotonou
COUNTRY: ........ Republic of Benin
TEXT / QUEST: ...... trust
ANSWER: .........In God
AMOUNT ......... $ 57USD only
M.T.C.N: ........
Sender name; ....
ADD SENDER: ......
Forward this information to us as soon as you send the money and also
attach to us the payment slip and be very careful not to make any
mistakes while filling payment information.
You are sure that as soon as this money was confirmed paid the first
installment of $ 5000usd will be released to you within 4 hours so you
can pick it in your area.
NOTE: THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THIS MONEY IS THAT WE
TRIED TO DEDUCT IT OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT IT IS A VERY STRICT LAW
ABIDING ALL WESTERN UNION AND SECONDLY,THE MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR
TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC INSTRUCTS THAT NO ONE SHOULD TEMPER WITH
YOUR FUND AS NO ONE HAS ACCESS OVER YOUR FUND BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN
SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO
YOU TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING BECAUSE IF ANY ONE HAS ACCESS TO
THAT IT MAY LEAD TO YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND.
Get back to us through our Email (western.unionbn@outlook.fr) with the
payment information once you have made the payment. You are advice to
call at: +229 99748002 if you have any question OKAY.
Awaiting on your email together with your payment information and MTCN.
Have a good day.
Thank you for your understanding
Sincerely yours
Mr. David Hassan.
Call me +229 99748002
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