|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- 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.
- unitednations.c@nycmail.com (Nycmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- university city blvd. charlotte, nc 28223 email: unitednations.c@nycmail.com dear beneficiary i am contacting you because we've sent (Nycmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: UN Compensation Commission <s12983@thepha.ac.th>
Reply-To: fundremit@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2024 06:50:42 +0100
Subject: Dear Beneficiary
From the Desk United Nations Compensation Commission
Address: 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28223
Email: unitednations.c@nycmail.com
Dear Beneficiary
I am contacting you because we've sent you the first payment of $7,500
this morning from your Inheritance/Compensation winning funds from the
United Nation Compensation Commission (U.N.C.C) totaling the sum of
$4.7 Million USD. Therefore you need to contact the Western Union
Director Mr. Phillip Hillman and ask him to give you all the transfer
information referencing the following Money Transfer Control Number
(998-147-0225)
Contact person: Phillip Hillman
Phone: +1(813) 926 0585
Email: (fundremit@hotmail.com)
More importantly, endeavor to connect and ask him to provide you with the
complete payment information, remember to indicate the registration Code of
UNCC/011 TSX/2024 to him when Emailing or calling. Also, he will be
sending you $7,500.00 daily as agreed with their commission. Fill in
the below details for him confirmation as given
Full name___
Country__
Address___
Age/Sex____
Occupation____
Phone number__
I will end up here while wishing you the best of luck
Sincerely
Mr. Michael Powell
U.N.C.C Compensation officer
|
Anti-fraud resources:
