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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. )
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- 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.
- mikelardi71@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: xustomer care <mrsyehof@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsengkatefedmg@rediffmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 02:35:08 -0700
Subject: Dear Customer.
Dear Customer. I write to inform you that we have already sent you
$5000.00. United
State Dollars through Western Union as we have been given the mandate
to transfer your full compensation payment total sum of $4.800.000.00
(four Million eight Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) via Western
Union by our Government, I was trying to send you an E-mail since
yesterday with the Western Union payment Details but the message keep
returning back I don't really know why, therefore I try to re-send the
e-mail to you again today with all the Western Union payment
information for you to pick up the money from any location Western
Union around you.
Below is the payment details to pick up your first payment.
Everything is available you can track The MTCN 3363325308)
Reference No#;=============363325308
Sender Name: =========== Robert Dykes
country;============= enin Republic
City;======================= otonou
Amount sent:======== $5000.00 Dollars
Please copy all this information and run to any nearest Western Union
location of your choice to pick up the $5000.00.And call me back to
send you another payment today, my direct phone line is +22990144573,
Call me once you pick up the info Manager Mr.Philip Ben. call or email
{mikelardi71@gmail.com } let me know once you picked up this
$5000.00. United State Dollars to enable me send you another
information to you today, I am waiting for your call once you pick up
this $5000.00. Please E-mail me your direct telephone number because I
need to be calling you once we send any payment for the
information.Note we really need your current direct phone so that once
we make any payment we shall call you for the MTCN.
*Contact me direct mail : mikelardi71@gmail.com , Phone:+22990144573 once
you pick the payment to send you another payment till you receive your fund
as order to this management.*
Yours in Service Mr.Mike Philip Ben
Western Union Department Benin Republic.
Email mikelardi71@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
