|
|
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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "agntarifsanni@outlook.com" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Arif Sanni." <dr.ferdmark12@gmail.com>
Reply-To: agntarifsanni@outlook.com
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 03:37:49 +0700
Subject: CONTACT ME FOR YOUR PAYMENT
Attention,
This is to officially inform you that your payment that was Suppose to be sent to you
from Africa has been handed over to us by the Africa government due to their inability
to carry on with the transfer of your fund and the kind of fraud going on in the west
Africa countries. Your compensation to the tune of $2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five
Hundred Thousand Dollar) You are to get back to us with the below information so we can
serve you better and urgent.
Your full name:
Address:
Phone no:
Sex:
Occupation:
Note that the delivery fee for your parcel payment has been paid by the Africa
Government as all that is needed of you is the custom clearance charge which once you
get the needed inform above sent to us, we will inform you on the amount for the charge
and how to send the charge so we can proceed with the delivery of your parcel without delay.
Will be waiting your eirlest response.
Regards,
Arif Sanni.
EMAIL: ( agntarifsanni@outlook.com )
+971556156671.
|
Anti-fraud resources: