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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:
- "required 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. )
- "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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "million 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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- flie.office@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Kelvin Egwu" <"Egwu."@dune.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr.Kelvin Egwu" <flie.office@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2017 21:45:20 +0900 (JST)
Subject: THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE (303) IN YOUR SERVICE
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER MONEY GRAM INT'L.
OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
LOCATION. RUE BPH141 KINGSTON AVENUE COTONOU BENIN.
TEL: +229 61787399
REF: MT89TQ
Email( flie.office@yahoo.com)
Attention .
We received your email in respect of your daily payment and we have concluded to affect your payments through Money Gram transfer. I will be sending $7,500.00us to you daily until your $4.5Million United State Dollars is completely transferred to you accordingly as your receiver details has forwarded for payment. But you required to pay only $65. 00 usd to enable us purchasing of your inheritance file to prevent illegal transfer of your funds or any form of hindrance in receiving your funds.
We shall obtain the inheritance file and finalize the process of your daily transfer, Money Gram Office will affect your payments as soon as you send the fee of $65. 00 Below is the information which you will use to send the required fee through Money Gram office that is close to you.
Receivers Name= = ( Pual ike )
City= = = Cotonou
Country: = = =Benin Republic.
Text Question= = = What color?
Answer= = = Red
Amount= = = $65. 00 only
Ref= = = = = =
Sender's = = =
Here are details of your first payment of $7,500.00USD made on your behalf but we can't replace the receiver's name and reference number on connection yet until you remit the $65. 00 USD required before we can purchase the inheritance files. Once i confirm the information the Inheritance file will issue the file and within 3hours i will email you the details for picking up your transfer.
Note that within 2hrs if you do not remit the required $65. 00 USD the transfer will be retrieve back and remember that the money details given to you does not bear your name and have no reference number as the receiver yet until you make the payment of the $65. 00. WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.YOU CALL US FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS CELL PHONE NUMBER: +229 61787399 THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE (303)
IN YOUR SERVICE
Email( flie.office@yahoo.com)
Mr.Kelvin Egwu
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