|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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 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.
- moneygramagent@hotmail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MONEY GRAM OFFICE <mgofs@otenet.gr>
Reply-To: moneygramagent@hotmail.ru
Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2017 09:02:24 +0100
Subject: ANY AMOUNT FOR YOU TO PICKUP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT SINCE YOU DON'T
HAVE MUCH MONEY
--
Attention My Dear:
Information reaching us from our corporate headquarters now, states that
you only have 48hours to effect payment for the activation of your MTCN
to
enable you cash up your first $4500:00 from your total fund of
$950,000USD
since you are finding it difficult to make this payment, we have decided
that you are to go ahead and pay whatever you have at hand starting from
$45USD to $180USD for the activation fee since you are not able to come
up
with the required sum, time is of the essence here.
You are to pay what ever you have at hand for the activation fee; we
will
activate your MTCN upon receipt of this payment.here is the payment for
the
$4500:00 usd and you can not pick it up because the chairman of the
MONEY
GRAM say that before you pick that money you must pay any amount you
have
at hand out of listed Amount bellow.
Remember that you can not pick it up the money due to it is unhold and
you
can also Tracking it right now with our website www.money gram.com
before
you going to Money Gram to send the transfer charge of any Amount you
have
at hand out of listed mount.
Here is the money gram tracking number:
https://secure.moneygram.com/track
Sender name:--------Sam Adebayo
REFERENCE number:-------90342954
TEXT QUESTION ---------GOD?
TEXT ANSWER ----------BLESS
AMOUNT --------$4500:00 USD
Your this last senders name(Adebayo) to Track the payment.
Be informed that you will have to pay the balance sum of your activation
upon cashing up of your first $4500:00 USD, also I am using this medium
to
inform you that failure to pay the balance sum will leave us with no
option
but to deactivate your MTCN of which you will and can never cash up the
balance sum I want you to send the renewing and transfer fee with the
information bellow.
So use this name and Address of our Accountant officer to send any
Amount
you have at hand out of listed amount bellow,
1.receiver name:.. DAVID NWA
2.country:.........Benin Republic.
3.city :...........Cotonou
4.test question:....when?
5.test answer:.....Now
6.sender name Address.....
MTCN......................
send us the Reference number immediately you send the money and
immediately
we confirm the transfer fee we will send you the first receipt of your
$4500:00 today and not tomorrow.
With best Regards contact this email address;moneygramagent@hotmail.ru
Telex: +22998251199
MR. Sam Adebayo Money Gram office Benin republic for your payment
|
Anti-fraud resources:
