|
|
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:
- 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:
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- 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.
- douriskones@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: MRS DOURIS kONES <douriskones@gmail.com>
Reply-To: douriskones@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2013 18:43:58 +0400
Subject: HERE IS MRS.DOURIS KONES VERY URGENT REPLY:
Dear confidant,
My Name is Mrs Douris kones the wife of late Engineer Jeff Kones a
petrochemical/oil exploration engineer with the Syrian Petroleum
Company located in Damascus. In fact "CIVIL WAR" is raging seriously
in my country SYRIA for now and my beloved husband have been killed
while he was in the office including my three (3) children and all our
properties destroyed by bomb. I and my only surviving daughter is now
in refugee camp for the safety of our lives.
Please I need your mutual assistance in investing some reasonable sums
of funds ($7Million) in your country.This funds is a proceed from the
sales of crude oil allocated to my late husband as compensation by
some foreign customers. Due to the war going on now in my country I
have made up my mind to depart from Syria as quickly as possible with
my only surviving daughter to your country. I have successfully moved
the funds to a peaceful location in (EUROPE) and i want you to assist
me to receive the money then invest it into any profitable venture in
your country and help us to relocate to your country for final
settlement.
I got your personal information from the internet from my thorough
search for a reliable and God fearing person that could handle this
project, i fasted and prayed and God directed me to contact you.
Get back to me with your particulars such as your full names,contact
address,age,profession and ID CARD for more details if you know that
you can be able to handle this transaction for our life's are endanger
over here.
God bless you.
Urgent response please.
Regards,
Mrs Douris kones
REPLY TO: douriskones@yahoo.co.jp
|
Anti-fraud resources:
