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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 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:
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: malika bella gahou <miss.malikagahou222@gmail.com>
Reply-To: malika bella gahou <miss.malikagahou12@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 01:56:58 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Hello
With Respect,
Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you.
I expect that this mail will not come to you as a surprise, since we have not yet known or written before.
Upon the receipt of this mail please kindly contact me immediately of your opinion.
I am Malika Bella Gahou by name and the Only Daughter of late Mr. Renaud Gahou.
Before the death of my late father, He called me privately on his bedside and told me that he has a sum of $7.400,000.00 Million USD in a financial Bank here. Deposited in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan Ivory Coast that he used my name for the next of kin in depositing of the fund.
I will need your assistance as follows:
1) To assist me in retrieving this money from the bank.
2) To serve as the guardian of this fund.
3) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and to secure a residential permit in your country.
Moreover, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of this fund to your nominated account overseas.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Regards,
Malika Bella Gahou.
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Anti-fraud resources: