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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:
- "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. )
- "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.
- 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.
- western_union.560@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Peter Mike" <Mike.@Peter.com>
Reply-To: "western_union.560@hotmail.com" <western_union.560@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2016 18:39:54 +0900 (JST)
Subject: =?utf-8?Q?My_dear_Here_this_is_your_MTC?=
=?utf-8?Q?N_number_9422289046_Track_it=E2=80=8F?=
My dear We Hope you still remember that, this your fund of (USA)$1.6M (one million six hundred thousand dollars) is long over due in our vault and by our rules and regulations, we are not authorized to keep or hold any fund here in our care for a long period of time, Order from above.
This office is still offering Our annual BONUS AWARD for this year 2016 which will end very soon to help our customers to receive their fund/money left here. In this office before entering to our new project for this year 2016.
Kindly contact us for the details of sending your fund to you fast before its late .Act fast.
Remember that your fund will be sending to you $5,000.00 three(3)times per week till you received your total fund of $1.6M.
Here is your first payment $5,000.00 picking up information with valid (MTCN)
(MTCN) 9422289046
Sender First Name: Peter
Sender Last Name: Iwunor
Track it now with our website and confirmed you it's available for pick up.
Website; https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=CN
Note: that Only Fee Request for You Is $50usd for re-activate of the MTCN to your name Please if you do not want to use this opportunity start pick your let us know so that the funds will be cancel.
Hope to hear from you very quickly.call +229 67 66 87 07 so that you can pick your payment start form today
Bellow is my cashiers information you will use in send the $50 for the registration.
Receivers Name......Innocent Aniekwe
Location............Benin Cotonou
Text question........Color
Text answer..........Blue
Amount...............$50
Senders Name..........
Senders Address........
MTCN............
Contact person:Mr Peter Iwunor.
EMAIL;western_union.560@hotmail.com
PHONE;(+229 99 13 93 55)
CODE OF CONDUCT(505)
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