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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- 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 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: "Mr.David Morgan" <ubabank171@gmail.com>
Reply-To: coudhl57@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2020 01:30:34 -0800
Subject: YOUR ATM CARD valued of $400.000 USD
D H L COURIER DELIVERY COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA.
DHL COURIER DELIVER COMPANY
BENIN REPUBLIC
54/OPPOSITE GREEN HORSE HOTEL
AKPAKPA COTONOU BENIN
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your application after your
agent who deposited your ATM CARD valued of $400.000 USD with this
company.Note that all the necessary delivering arrangement of your ATM
CARD have been concluded here in our company and your consignment will
be sent to your home address as soon as you reconfirm possible.
However we want to notify you that your ATM CARD 's security deposit
fee is $65 USD and you are advised to send the fee to enable us get
your ATM CARD sent direct to your home address without any delay and
bear in mind that this $65 is only required fee to get your ATM CARD
valued of $400.000 USD deliver direct to your home address and you
will start enjoying your life with your atm card fund $400.000 USD.
send the security deposit fee of $65 USD immediately you receive
this email. to enable us ship your parcel to your destination tomorrow
morning.
Here is our accountant name address information where you will send
the fee $65 through Western Union Or money Gram.
Receiver's Name..........Don Alex
Country Name............ Benin Republic
City.................Cotonou
Text Question......... Honest
Text Answer...... Trust
MTCN...........
Sender Name.....
Finally we are waiting to receive the security fee to enable us send
your ATM CARD valued of $400.000 USD to your address and give you the
DHL shipment tracking number details so that you will track your
parcel and know the arrival date time of our agent to your address
over there in your country.
Try your best today and send the money because all necessary
arrangement regarding the delivery of your ATM CARD has been finalized
and our agent will take off by 9:30am tomorrow morning to your country
.
Phone +229 97514469
Yours in service,
Mr.David Morgan
DHL COMPANY MANAGER
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