|
|
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")
- "fudiciary" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "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)
- "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- +447011136722 (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.
- bills_fudiciarydpts@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "THE PEPSI COMPANY PROMO" <info@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: smith.deskdepts@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 20:32:30 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Claims Verification Form: PEP00934/UK.
THE PEPSI COMPANY
PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
151 CANADA SQUARE,
CANARY WHARF, LONDON, E14 5DY,
UNITED KINGDOM.
Dear Recipient, we are suffice to say here that you have officially
been approved a sum payout of $300,000.000,USD as one amongst the
PEPSI winner(s). Your File number attached to your ticket is
PEP00934/UK.
This amount is from total prize cash of $900,000.000,USD randomly
distributed amongst Three (3)international winners selected by our
PEPSI Random System Selection(PRSS). In view of this, your
($300,000.000) cheque would be released to you by our fiduciary agent.
Kindly fill out the claims verification form provided underneath and
forward the details to your claims agent below:
Claims Verification Form Below
====================================================================
1. Your Full Names:
2. Address:
3. Telephone and Fax Numbers:
4. Occupation:
5. Reference Number:
6. How often do you drink Pepsi:
7. Sex:
8. Country:
Claims Agent
Name: Smith Bills
Email: bills_fudiciarydpts@yahoo.co.uk
Direct Line: +447011136722
Sincerely,
MRS.Tancredi Whiteman,
ZONAL CO-ORDINATOR
Pepsi Cola Company U.K
-- Sent at 23:09:25 on 08/05/08 through NITK (http://www.nitk.ac.in/) Email Gateway . AV scanning & Spam checking are done on this mail --
Anti-fraud resources:
