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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:
- "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. )
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- 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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <mrpierrecompoare@gmail.com>
Reply-To: via-westernunion@qualityservice.com
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2022 06:09:30 -0700
Subject: Re: Re: Attn:Beneficiary:
*Western Union**®*
*[image:
http://www.provisionalfutures.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/giu_7507.jpg]*
*Send Money Worldwide*
WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO PAY-OUT CENTER
Dear Beneficiary,
Your Payment Order is #: WUMT-*******635/2022
Web site.www.westernunion.com
<https://deref-mail.com/mail/client/Vdvu6Woaplo/dereferrer/?redirectUrl=http%3A%2F%2FSITE.www.westernunion.com>
http://site.www.westernunion.com/
<https://deref-mail.com/mail/client/e9lBSLi4_fU/dereferrer/?redirectUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsite.www.westernunion.com%2F>
contact phone +226 58 03 06 70 42
Attn:Beneficiary:
Congratulation Dear Estimate Customer,
We have registered your first payment of $5000 online through this
department western union money transfer. The payment is available to pick
up by receiver but you cannot be able to pick it because is on-hold for
none tax insurance charges of $105.
Just confirm your first payment with below instruction.
Open this website:
https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/self-service/app/tracktransfer
<https://deref-mail.com/mail/client/X4BqNcKvlSg/dereferrer/?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.westernunion.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Fself-service%2Fapp%2Ftracktransfer>
as soon as you open the website enters this tracking number (MTCN:
819-759-0606)
As soon as you enter the tracking number click track transfer to confirm by
yourself.
You will pay $105 for tax insurance charges so that this first payment will
be release out from on-hold in order to able pick it up by you. Go and send
the tax insurance charges of $105 to below information through western
union office or money gram transfer office and let us know immediately.
Receiver Name: Idrissa Dabre
country: Burkina Faso.
City: Ouagadougou
question: when?
Answer: now.
Amount: $105 only
Waiting to receive a copy of the payment receipt
Regard,
DR. IDRISSA DABRE
Director Clerk Agency Western Union
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Anti-fraud resources:
