|
|
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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447031905390 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- mrnicholas_smith@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Nicholas SMith" <nicholassmith001@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 11:27:29 +0000
Subject: INQUIRY
Stargate International
Woolwich Dockyard and Ferry
S.E 7, London, U.K
TEL: 44-703-190-5390
FAX: 44-87-0490-1179
(mrnicholas_smith@yahoo.co.uk)
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Nicholas Smith, managing director, Stargate International
Company,
U.K. We will be very glad if you can be our representative/payment
agent in
your country and earn 10% of every payment made through you to us. For
more
information, contact us through email.
Regards,
Nicholas Smith
Anti-fraud resources:
