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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:
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "NOKIA AWARD PROMOTION" <info@nokia.org>
Reply-To: nokia_eseries@excite.co.uk
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 17:00:23 -0200 (GMT)
Subject: New Year Bonnaza/Parcel Number: EG2272-NIG........Congratulations !
Greetings.
I have been waiting for you to come down here and pick your Bank Draft of
($500,000.00 USD) Which my boss asked me to mail to you for your
compensation as soon as you requested for it, but I did not hear from you
since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with Fast link
Courier/Security Company here in ASIA,MALAYSIA to avoid loosing the funds,
I will be out of the country for a 6 Months Course and I will not come
back till later next year.
Contact the Fast link Courier dispatch officer to deliver your package to
you, reconfirm your address to them, I have paid for the delivering
charges and insurance fee. The only money you have to send to them is
their security keeping fee which is $180.00 Us Dollars to received your
package.
Dispatch Officer: Mr. Pollard Brock
E-mail: fastlinkexpresscourier@ymail.com
Telephone: +60102971424
Shipment Code: CPEL/OWN/9876
Parcel Number: EG2272-NIG
Also below is the information they need to deliver the funds this is to
avoid wrong delivery as I already gave them your delivery address but you
have to re- confirm it to them ok.
Full name......................
Home address............
Country....................
Telephone...............
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the security
keeping and remember to pay them their security fees of $180.00 for your
immediate delivery.
Yours Faithfully.
Ms.Shirley Trotter.
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