|
|
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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- 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.
- accdetailss@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Engr.George K.Smith." <accdetailss@aol.com>
Reply-To: accdetailss@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:46:53 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Chevron Oil & Gas Company,2011 PROJECT.
Chevron Oil & Gas Company Limited.
Contact email:accdetailss@gmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
The director, contracts evaluation and procurement of this company have empowered me to contact you for assistance in holding the sum of $200 Million in your company account or personal account for investment in lucrative business ventures in your country.
This amount is an over-invoiced contract bills awarded to some foreign firm by the Chevron Oil and Gas Company the year 2011.
The actual contract bill has been paid out leaving the above over-invoiced. We need your assistance in this urgent deal; the claim papers will be in your name as the last contractor whose fund is yet to be claimed.
All that is needed from you is your willingness and TRUST to assist us.This fund was approved alongside the other funds that have been paid out.
You will not be breaching any law or see yourself at any risk if you accept to this proposal and willing to work with us in TRUST. Details of this will be made clear as you respond to this letter. Your commission is 40%, 55% for my partners and while 5% will be used to defray all expenses incurred from both sides in the course of actualizing this deal.Please feel free to contact me for any further inquiry by replying back to this email account : accdetailss@gmail.com
Yours truly,
Engr.George K.Smith.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
