|
|
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:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- +447045706318 (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.
- claimsagent_directives@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: email_report@mchsi.com (Copyright © 2007 U.K NATIONAL LOTTO BOARD)
Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:50:10 +0000
Subject: U.K NATIONAL LOTTERY UPDATE®YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WON
--
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY BOARD
HOME OFFICE: 165 FULHAM PALACE RD.
W6 8JB UNITED KINGDOM.
(Customer Services)
REFERENCE NUMBER:UK/839030X2/14
BATCH NUMBER:065/088/XY24
TICKET NUMBER:023-1111-790-458
This Email is to inform you that
your email address emerged a winner
on our online Draw (#1225), which
was played on the Wednesday 19 Sep
2007.
Your email won you the sum of
£1,101,769 British Pounds Sterling
For further Information about your
Winnings,contact our Lottery
Fiduciary Agent Sir Bill Stone
with the following contact Address.
Name;Sir Bill Stone(Esq)
E-mail Address:-
claimsagent_directives_billstone@ya
hoo.co.uk
claimsagent_directives@yahoo.co.uk
Telphone Number: +447045706318
Website : http://www.national-
lottery.co.uk/player/p/results/resu
lts.do
Congratulations once again.
James Dogger
Online Co-ordinator
Copyright © 2007 U.K NATIONAL
LOTTO BOARD! All rights reserved.
Anti-fraud resources:
