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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 message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- jameschermann@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: =?UTF-8?Q?=D7=9C=D7=99=D7=9E=D7=95=D7=A8=20=D7=91=D7=A8?= <li_bar@walla.co.il>
Date: Wed, 14 May 2014 00:24:01 +0300
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?=41=77=61=69=74=20=79=6F=75=72=20=52=65=70=6C=79?=
Greetings to youThis
message might meet you in utmost surprise; however, it's just my urgent
need for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for this
transaction. I am a banker by profession here in South Africa. I have
the opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($22.5million)
originally belonging to one of my bank clients Mr. Kurt Kahle,
who died along with his entire family on 31 July 2000 in a plane crash?
You can confirm genuinely the deceased's death by clicking on thisWeb site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ world/europe/859479.stmMeanwhile
the whole arrangement and directives needed to put claim over this fund
as the bona-fide next of kin to the deceased will be forward to you
upon your acceptance, information will be relayed to you as soon as you
indicate your interest and willingness to assist us and also benefit
yourself to this great business opportunity. Kindly send me your full
name and adders/age/occupation and your phone number. Please, you have
been advised to keep this as top a secret as I am still in service and
intend to retire from service after I conclude this deal with you. I
will be monitoring the whole situation here in the bank until you
confirm the money in
your account. Than i will come down to your country for subsequent
sharing of the fund and further investment, either in your country or
any other country you may advise me to invest in. All other necessary
information will be sent to you when I hear from you.I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your willingness in this deal. Reply to my private email only == jameschermann@gmail.comHave a good dayBest RegardMr. James Scherman
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