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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:
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- infous303@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Sandra Synder <emailusc@wsh1-3e-mel.hostyourservices.net>
Reply-To: infous303@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2017 22:55:20 +1100
Subject: Payment update.
Dear customer!
This is to inform you that I have cashed the Check I been expecting
and decided to use MoneyGram Money Transfer method send your fund
USD$1.500.000.00 One Million Five Hundred Thousand United State
Dollars. And I have reached an agreement with MoneyGram Manager this
morning to start sending your fund bit by bit till the total fund is
completed transferred to you.
According to the MoneyGram Money Transfer Manager this morning, his
Secretary has started sending your fund as agreed and following is the
Pick up details of the fund his Secretary sent to your name this
morning:
He sent sum of USD$ 7000.00 while the first payment details is as follow:
----------------------------------------
Money Transfer# 622-722-43
Sender's Name: John Shabangu
Test Question: Money
Test Answer: Gram
Amount Sent: [$3,500]
_________________________________________
Second Payment Details is also as follow:
-----------------------------------------
Money Transfer# 691-339-72
Sender's Name: Zelpha Ike
Test Question: Money
Test Answer: Gram
Amount Sent: [$3,500]
__________________________________________
Kindly pick up the funds and get back to me so that MoneyGram here in
Benin Republic will be able to send another payment today. Reply via
email: (infous303@gmail.com) or call me here once you pick up the
above payments: (+229) 66 955-233.
Waiting to hear from you ASP.
Mr. Sandra Synder
MONEY GRAM PAYMENT.
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Anti-fraud resources:
