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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:
- 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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "million 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "randy.williams22@outlook.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: randy williams <onyeakamark@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: randy williams <randy.williams22@outlook.fr>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2017 17:45:59 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: YOUR URGENT REPLY IS NEEDED.
Are you alive or dead? We received several emails from one Mr. Frank Harold who narrated to us about the auto car accident you had 2 weeks
ago. Mr. Frank made us to understand that you are in hospital for treatment but there is no hope of your recovery. He stated that he is
your business associates and your next of kin whom you have chosen a permitted to inherit all your properties. He is contacting this office
base on your contract /Inheritance payment fund valid USD$15,500,000.00 only) which is about to be pay to you. He requested that the payment should
now be transfer into his own personal account as he stated below.
Account Name Mr. Frank Harold
Citibank Banamex USA
2029 Century Park East Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: 1-800-222-7534
Routing Number: 122233645
Account Number: 5944130210
We request your confirmation before we can process this transfer to Mr. Frank Bank Account. This is to avoid releasing your money to wrong
person because Mr. Frank is too eager and ready to follow every instruction to have this money into his account. If you did not have
auto accident and you did not permit Mr. Frank to claim your money,kindly reply this message with your full contact information so we can
process the release of the $15.5 million dollars to you.And for your information once again if you are still alive that you are not dead note that you have to comply with the needed required fee of $93 to aviod the divervition of your inheritance fund to this man call Mr.Frank Harold and prodeed the transaction to you as the really beneficiary of this inheritance fund as you will send the required fee through Western Union or MoneyGram down to Benin Republic through this information bello which is this.
Receiver Name....... Ugo Oji
Country.......benin Republic
City......Cotonou
Text Question.....when
Text Answer.....Today
Senders Name......
MTCN nUMBERS.....
Amoun..........$93
As fast as you comply with this email as you have been required the transersaction will process to your own Bank Account Information and you need to reconfirm your Bank account onformation on your complying to this email if you are still alive before it will be too late that is all your information and reply urgent now if you are alive final. Thank you and have a nice day.
Waiting to hear from you
randy williams
mail ( randy.williams22@outlook.fr )
Office Phone +229 992 478 44
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