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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "registration 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. )
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "abuja" (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 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.
- williamsstuat@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: <test@solutiononce.com>
Reply-To: williamsstuat@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2017 23:30:37 +0430
Subject: Hello Good Friend
U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
PLOT 1075 DIPLOMATIC DRIVE
u. CENTRAL DISTRICT AREA, ABUJA
EMAIL----{williamsstuat@hotmail.com}
ATTN: MY GOOD FRIEND,
AFTER AN OFFICIAL MEETING HELD WITH THE PRESIDENT
OF NIGERIA AND MINISTER OF FINANCE CONCERNING
UNPAID AND UNCLAIMED FUNDS TO FOREIGN
BENEFICIARIES, JUST LIKE YOU. I WAS VERY MUCH
ANNOYED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT YOU PAID MUCH MONEY
YET YOU NEVER RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS. THAT IS WHY I
DECIDED TO HELP YOU.
I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL
MEETING AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOUR ATM CARD WORTH
$5.9 MILLION ALONG WITH ME THROUGH UNITED STATES
DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO YOUR COUNTRY. BUT THIS TIME
I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS A USA
AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, I AM A USA GOVERNMENT AGENT
AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH
CUSTOMS.JUST AS I HELPED FOUR OTHER PEOPLE TO
RECEIVED THEIR FUNDS LAST Month THROUGH FEDEX
COURIER SERVICE AND TNT COURIER SERVICE.
AND AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I
SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR HOME..(SEND YOUR
INFORMATION:
1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. CELL PHONE NUMBER
3. ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE
PACKAGE).
YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS DELIVERY THAT
MAKES ME WONDER. YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON
BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND THERE IS
NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT. YOUR ATM VISA CARD
WORTH THE SUM OF ($5.9M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN
AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS
AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $120 AND THE FEE
MUST BE PAID TO OUR RECEIVING AGENT IN THE UNITED
STATE IN 24 HOURS.
THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS TO OUR
RECEIVING AGENT IN THE STATE VIA WESTERN UNION SO
THAT ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE
TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.
THE ONLY FEE YOU ARE TO SEND IS THE REGISTRATION
FEE WHICH WILL COST YOU $120 ONLY AND I WILL BE
COMING TO YOUR ADDRESS WITH YOUR CARD AS SOON AS
YOUR PAYMENT IS CONFIRMED BY OUR RECEIVING AGENT
IN THE STATE BE REST ASSURE THIS IS %100 FOR REAL
SO DO NOT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO TRUST ME BECAUSE
YOU MIGHT LOSE THIS LAST CHANCE OF CLAIMING YOUR
ATM CARD.
SEND THE $120 VIA WESTERN UNION TO MY ACCOUNTING
OFFICER MRS. CELESTINE RODERICK WITH THE BELOW
INFORMATION TODAY
Receiver's name: Celestine Roderick
Address: 3551 forestdale Dr Burlington
NC 27215 USA
Test question: In God?
Answer: We Trust
Amount : $120
MTCN :
MAKE SURE YOU PROCEED WITH THE PAYMENT TODAY
BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US AND I SHALL BE
COMING TO YOUR ADDRESS WITH YOUR CARD. ONCE AGAIN
DO NOT SEND ABOVE $120 BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIXED
PRICE YOU MUST PAY AND THERE IS NO OTHER PAYMENT
TAKE NOTE.
I SHALL SEND MY FLIGHT SCHEDULE TO YOU.
MY FLIGHT IS TUESDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY
BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN COMMENCE. IF
YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF
YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE EMAIL ME AT U.S
AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
AMBASSADOR Williams Stuart
U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
williamsstuat@hotmail.com
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