|
|
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:
- 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:
- "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss Kate Nas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <katenas@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:30:16 -0700
Subject: Reply
Hello
This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not met before and I know that this is an unlikely platform to start
this kind of relationship but my present situation of my family and I is bad so i request you to permit me to use this medium to introduce myself.My name is
Miss Kate.Nas, 24 years old girl single. I am the daughter of late Mr. and Mrs.Nas Mark .
I live in the economic farm near Accra Ghana. I am in need of yourassistance to help me stand as my foreign beneficiary in getting my late fathers deposited funds from (STALLION SECURITY COMPANY )here in Ghana.So that
the funds can be moved to your account to in your country.if you can help me we can go into
agreement and i will send to you all the important information's to help you contact my late fathers
barrister and the (S.S.C).Could you please indicate your interest to work with me for this purpose? I am in need of your response to this arrangement.
Thanks.Reply me through this Address(katenas26@gmail.com)
Respectfully,
Miss Kate Nas
katenas26@gmail.com
|
Anti-fraud resources:
