|
|
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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: "James Bergin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <christinegaines052@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2014 02:56:53 +0200
Subject: I will be waiting to hear from you!!!
ATTN: Beneficiary
Definitely, I know that this letter will be a surprising one to you even if this is my second attempt to contact you to notify you about your unpaid funds. Firstly, I will like to introduce myself formally as James Bergin the head of the Legal & Compliance Risk Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
You are being officially contacted by me today because The Federal Reserve Bank of New York received some vital documents that you have authorized the release of your Inheritance/Contract funds sum of US$11.5 Million which rightfully belongs to you as shown in your file with us, to some foreigners.
I have been consulted to find out from you after reviewing the Power Of Attorney which you endorsed granting full ownership of funds to one MR ADI LEE SIM in Canada. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York can not afford to make any mistake in releasing these funds to anyone except you who is the recognized true beneficiary to these funds.
So kindly clarify us on this issue as soon as possible if they are from you before we make this Payment to them. Note that for security reasons you should not disclose information to anybody so that they can face the full weight of the law if you did not grant them authority.
I will be waiting to hear from you soon.
Yours Faithfully,
James Bergin
|
Anti-fraud resources:
