|
|
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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- eddymartins2003@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Dr Eddy Martins<info@usa.org>
Reply-To: eddymartins2003@gmail.com
Date: 08 Feb 2017 07:36:40 -0600
Subject: Re: Payment of inheritance next of kin/contracts with an accrued interest valued $10.5M
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
FEDERAL CAPITAL TERROTORY
HEADQUARTER NO 48 WUSE ZONE 2
ABUJA/NIGERIA
BRANCH OFFICE NO 176 ADEOLU ODEKU STREET
VICTORY ISLAND LAGOS NIGERIA
Dear Sir/Madam
Re: Payment of inheritance next of kin/contracts
with an accrued interest valued $10.5M
Be informed that your inheritance, next of
kin/contracts with an accrued interest valued $10,
5M has been revisited and stated following the
order of Minister for Finance Dr. Kemi Adeosun and
the funds will be either transferred or shipped by
diplomatic means at your designated address or
choices of bank.
However, this office will contact you immediately
for your quick response to our email as we obliged
to serve you better and to restore your lost hope
and can reach us with this email address
presidency eddymartins2003@gmail.com
Thanks
Yours Sincerely
Eddy Martins
|
Anti-fraud resources:
