|
|
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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- fin_serv_auth@uk2.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Financial Service Auth." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fin_serv_auth@uk2.net>
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:02:27 -0000
Subject: RE: IF YOU ARE ALIVE, RESPOND IMMEDIATELY...
Dear Sir/Ma,
Did you authorize one Mr. Lonie L. Rayford to meet us as your representative/next of kin, With documents of claim purported to have been signed by you for the release of your payment of US $4.600,000.00 (Four Millions Six Hundred thousand United States Dollars) because your money has
been approved already for Payment. However, Mr. Lonie L. Rayford told us he is your Next of kin and that you are dead. If you are still alive, you are expected to reconfirm this to avoid any
irregularities in our office here as your money is now ready to be transferred to the account he presented to us. With the instruction given to us by the Accountant General of the Federation and the International Monitoring Fund (IMF) in collaboration with the Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI) to pay all outstanding payment. We want to hear from you before we can make the transfer to confirm if you are ALIVE.
We are hereby officially notifying you about the present arrangement to pay you your over due fund.
Waiting for your urgent response.
Mr. Arnold McIntyre
amc77@gmx.us
fin_serv_auth@uk2.net
|
Anti-fraud resources:
