|
|
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:
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- wcaptain088@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Edward Frank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wcaptain088@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2017 14:29:59 -0800
Subject: Re: $700.000.00USD NEW YEAR BONUS FOR SCAM VICTIMS
Attn Dear,
In result of file brought to my desk. Your name was among people to
receive Xmas Bonus for all scam Victims. As a matter of urgency to
enable you receive your own $700.000 Tomorrow. We handed your payment
file over to paying centre international foreign remittance department
to release the money to you.
They will wire the entire funds to you by bank to bank transfer or
through money gram Transfer as we all agreed. Contact them now via
this email address below:
E-mail:{ wcaptain088@gmail.com }
Contact Person:Mr Marcel Idu
Tel: +23 490 8370 4070.
Make sure you get in touch with them once you receive this message to
enable them start processing your transfer immediately.
Alert us as soon as you have all your money,So we can take record.
Thanks for your coo-operation. Be blessed.
Edward Frank
Secretary House Rep
|
Anti-fraud resources:
