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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "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. )
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Christopher Wray <fr173030@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fbidepartment55@post.cz
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2021 01:24:34 -0600
Subject: This is final Warning
Anti-Terrorist and Monetary Crimes Division
FBI Headquarters In Washington, D.C.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE ONLY 72 HOURS TO COMPLY WITH THE
NEEDED FEE OF $100 USD OR YOU WILL BE ARRESTED AND I WAS CALLING YOU
BUT YOUR NOT PICKING UP AND BE WARNED THAT TODAY WILL BE THE FIRST AND
LAST DAY YOU WILL FAIL TO PICK TO UP MY CALL WITHOUT NO REASON AND
AGAIN BE INFORM THAT YOUR GIVEN ONLY 72HOURS TO COMPLY WITH THE NEEDED
FEE OR YOU WILL GET ARRESTED AT ONCE WITHOUT ANY DELAY IN EXPIRATION
OF THE 72 HOURS BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THAT YOUR COMMITTING THE OFFENSE
OF MONEY LAUNDERING AND YOU KNOW HOW FRAUD IT IS IN UR COUNTRY TO BE
INVOLVE IN MONEY LAUNDERING ISSUE, AND YOUR FOUND THE GUILTY OF
SENDING MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY WHICH IS CONSIDERED AS MONEY
LAUNDERING AND WILL BE TREATED ACCORDING TO THE ACT OF MONEY
LAUNDERING 2021, PLEASE BE INFORM THAT YOUR GIVEN ONLY 72 HOURS
REMEMBER 72 HOURS. TO COMPLY IMMEDIATELY OR WILL BE ARRESTED AND
JAILED FOR LIFE IMPRISONMENT, KINDLY VIEW THE DOCUMENTS TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THEY ARE FROM THE LEGITIMIZE SOURCE AND YOUR NOW BARED FROM
MAKING ANY OTHER TRANSACTION TILL YOU SEND THE FEE FOR OBTAINING THE
DOCUMENT ON YOUR BEHALF OR YOU WILL FACE THE FACE THAT WE PLAY FOR
YOUR CONCERN,
AM HERE TO GIVING YOU MY HELP THAT ONCE YOU SEND THE FEE YOU WILL
RECEIVE YOUR FUND WITHOUT ANY FEE AGAIN AND STOP CONTACTING ANY EMAIL
TELLING YOU TO SEND MONEY OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY WITHOUT LET US KNOW AND
NOW FOREWORD US ANY EMAIL YOU RECEIVE TELLING YOU TO SEND MONEY
And here is the information to send the fees $100.00 us dollars
through Western union or Money gram.
Receiver:Name Mathieu DADA
City: Cotonou
Country: Benin Republic
Question: Urgent
Answer: Needed
Amount: $100.00 us dollars only
After payment has been made kindly send the below info for pick!
Sender's Name:...........
LOOKING FOREWORD TO HEAR FROM YOUR ?
EXPECTING YOUR KIND ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION.
Mr Christopher wray
FBI DIRECTOR
This is final Warning
Contact my number +1 940-227-6692
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Anti-fraud resources:
