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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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cashier's check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- gilitonaustin@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Ahmed Dossou Usman" <drdossoumanmed@gmail.com>
Reply-To: gilitonaustin@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:56:48 -0700
Subject: Attn: Beneficiary,
From Desk;
Dr. Ahmed Dossou
Subject: Western Union to Pay in Fraud Settlement
This is to acquaint you on the outcome of our meeting with Western
Union Co (WU.N) and the Association of Better Business Bureau to
compensate scam victims upon due verification. The National Central
Bureau of Interpol enhanced by the United Nations and Federal Bureau
of Investigation have seriously taken the instructions of the new
president of the United States of America, Donald Trump to boost
the security exercise of clearing all foreign debts owed to
individuals and organizations as a result the past Government failure
to settle each victim with the mandated compensation amount of
US$950,000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United State Dollars)
Western Union (WU) allowed criminals to use its global money transfer
service to carry out hundreds of thousands of scams. The company
admitted to this crimes in a federal settlement under which it has
been agreed that they return $586 million to victims of the numerous
fraud.
Visit the below web page to carefully read the article confirming the
legitimacy of your compensation fund from Western Union Money Transfer
as one the listed and approved victims to be paid the aforementioned
amount.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/western-union-586-million-in-fraud/
Kindly contact the officer in charge of allocation and dispatch of the
funds for the immediate claim of your compensation.
Contact Person: GILITON AUSTIN
Email Address: gilitonaustin@yahoo.com
In light of the above, a priority payment instruction has been dully
issued to us to credit the mentioned amount to your personal account
been your payment as soon as you contact with your personal
information's Upon receipt of this mail.
Full Name:
Address:
Occupation:
Age/sex:
Phone Number:
ID Card:
Indicate from the options listed below how you wish your funds to be
conveyed to you
1. Bank to Bank wire transfer
2. Draft/Cashier's check by Western Union
3. Western Union Credit Card
Looking forward to your immediate response so as to enable us convey
your fund across to you under the supervision of the United Nations
and the World Bank Group.
Regards,
MR Ahmed Dossou
Chairman, Federal Trade Commission.
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Anti-fraud resources:
