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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:
- "million us 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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Usma Bello <mr_usma2010@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: mr_usma1@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:07:36 -0800 (PST)
Subject: FROM MR USMA BELLO (CONFIDENTIAL IS THE CASE)
FROM MR USMA BELLO
MANAGER AUDIT/ACCOUNT DEPT,
BANK OF
AFRICA.(BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU/BURKINA FASO.
WEST
AFRICA.
("REMITTANCE OF $25 MILLION
U.S.A DOLLARS")
(CONFIDENTIAL IS THE
CASE")
I am Mr Usma Bello from burkina faso. I want to
seek your assistance after my discovery during auditing in my bank as am the
manager of Audt/Account at the Foriegn Remittance Department of BANK OF
AFRICA,(B.O.A.) In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of USD$25million
US dollars in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died
along with his entire family in plane Crash.
It is therefore upon this
discovery that I decided as the head of my department to make this business
proposal to you and release the money to you as the next of kin or relation to
the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for
it and we don't want this money to go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed
bills.
You should not nurse any atom of fear as all
required arrangements have been made for the smooth transfer of this funds and
your acceptance is what will crown this effort.
We will conclude this operation within 21
banking days based on the amount of
coperation you will
contribute
Thank you for your understanding as i
await your urgent response to enable me
give you more details don't forget to
give me those informations below to
enable me know you very well before we
can go ahead in this business/project,
Your full names.........................
Your
international passort/ID card no............
Your private telephone
number................
Your
profecsion...................................
your
age...............................................
Your private email
address..............................
Your's faithfully
Mr Usma Bello
+22675743570
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