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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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
- www.moneygramn@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MONEY GRAM HEAD OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <www.moneygranm@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2017 04:15:36 -0400
Subject: Your Payment Has Been Released.
READY FOR PICK UP $6,000
Attention My Dear
This is to inform you that the America Embassy office was instructed to transfer your fund Worth $1.6 MILLION U.S Dollars This is to compensate all the SCAM VICTIMS and your email was found as one of the VICTIMS by the United Nation Trust Fund and Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) you will be receiving the sum of ($6,000) dollars per day Via MONEY GRAM . However be informed that we have already sent the ($6,000) dollars this morning to avoid cancellation of your payment.
You have only 48 hours to call or text this office upon the receipt of this email the maximum amount you will be receiving per day starting from today's($6,000) and the Money Transfer Control Number.Below is the information to pick up your first payment is available to pick up by the receiver, but if we didnt here from you soon we shall pick it up from online for security reason.
Sender Fist name Clarence
Sender Last Name Corass
Reference # 92169799
Question Who Is Great
Answer God
Amount $6000.00 USD
Congratulations.
Mr.Alfred Perkins
ECOWAS REPS Benin Republic
www.moneygramn@gmail.com
+2348165925976
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Anti-fraud resources: