|
|
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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (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 ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
- "hundred thousand u.s 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)
- "abidjan" (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.
- 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.
- alicia_international@yahoo.ca (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "alicebekey Gazeta.pl" <alicebekey@gazeta.pl>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 20:33:36 +0000
Subject: I am Miss Alice Bekey
With all due respect,I know you must be surprise to see my email due to we
do not know ourselves in person,
I am Miss Alice Bekey from abidjan Cote D'ivoire.Please,I saw your name and
your email address on the net while searching for someone who will help me
in this my inheritance fund deposited with a security company here by my
late father.Then after going through your profile i decided to contact
you..The money in question is Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S
Dollars($ 7,500 000 million USD)and i am ready to offer you 10% of the total
sum for your assistance..
Thanks for your understanding as i wait to hear from you. Below is my
private email where you can reach me for us to discuss well *
alicia_international@yahoo.ca*
Yours Sincerely,
Miss Alice Bekey
Anti-fraud resources: