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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. )
- "processing 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. )
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- moneygramremittance1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Maria Cook <Moneygram.@blue.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Mrs Maria Cook <moneygramremittance1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2018 17:39:28 +0900 (JST)
Subject: President International Lotto Commission
Attention,
We are writing in respect to your unclaimed lotto winning prize of $3.5Miliion which you won through the email-ballot draws in our Euro Africa Lotto Award in 2018 in the Frist category prize winnings. We wish to inform you that your total prize money of $3.5Million has been scheduled for payment Via Money Gram Office System after our initial letter to your address for your payment was not replied. You are here by requested to contact money gram Office through this e-mail address: (moneygramremittance1@gmail.com) for your immediate payment.
Contact Person: Name: Rev, Douglas Hall
Telephone:+229-6005-1877
E-mail (moneygramremittance1@gmail.com)
The only money you will send to the office of money gram to transfer your Winning Prize in your country is ($175.00 US ) One Hundred and Seventh Five United States Dollars only being their official processing fee so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other Fee except $175.00 US Dollars you are contact Money Gram office as directed above for your payment, and do Re-confirm bellow info's. To them:
Receiver name-------------
Country--------------
City----------------
Tel----------------
Test question-------------
Test Answer----------------
Thanks,
Mrs Maria Cook
President International Lotto Commission
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Anti-fraud resources:
