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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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "million united state 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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "edlewis19803@skymail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "edlewis19803@skymail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "FedEx Company" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edlewis19803@skymail.mn>
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011 21:49:08 -0800
Subject: Message From FedEx Office
>From FedEx Office
FedEx Express Courier
101 FedEx Lane,
Victoria Island,
Abuja Nigeria
Dear Customer.
We have a Bank Draft for you from World Bank worth $2.5Million United State Dollars, with a outstanding insurance payment of 100USD. This package is to be delivered to
you before Friday Next Week. It a Bank Draft. You are required to contact Mr. Eric Dean Lewis.
Therefore the only money that you are going to pay is $200usd for the Security Keeping Fee only
Here is the Payment information that you are going to use to make the payment to our account officer Mr. Golchert Rainner.
Receiver Name: Golchert Rainner
Receiver Address: Abuja Nigeria
Text Question: what
Text Answer: 123
Amount $200usd
MTCN Number
Senders Name:
Senders Address :
You are advice to contact Mr. Eric Dean Lewis with the full payment details also with your delivery Address where they will deliver your Bank Draft to.
Name: Mr. Eric Dean Lewis
Email: edlewis19803@skymail.mn
Mobile:+23478135359047
ALL MAIL FOR CLAIM SHOULD BE SENT TO: edlewis19803@skymail.mn
Regards
Luiz Antonio
AVPLN01/AVIPAM
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Anti-fraud resources: