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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"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:
- "bank charges " (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. )
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "foreign payment department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "FED.MINISTRY OF FINANCE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info_info60@f-mail.net>
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:46:12 +0100
Subject: Our ReF: 12/09/09
PRESIDENCY
OFFICE OF THE MINISTER FOR FINANCE
AND FINANCIAL MATTERS TO THE PRESIDENT
RE: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION / FINAL ORDER.
This is to draw your attention that your contract payment is still lying in suspense account with the
Central Bank of Nigeria. Federal Government of Nigerian has authorized them to effect payment on her
behalf; the only problem now is that we indictated a lot of irregularities involvements attached to
your payment file.
(1) Did you at any time delegate anybody or your family member to claim your contract payment
on your behalf?
(2) Were you involved in a motor accident?
(3) Are you aware or related to one Mr. Thomas Mick from your country?
Please reconfirm and answer the above questions because one Mr. Thomas Mick came to our
foreign payment department and submitted an application that you authorized your contract payment
of US$45.5M to be paid into the account of Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) with Account number
UBS-A943BDG99 with a report that you are now paralyzed as a result of the ghastly motor accident
you had last month.
In the course of processing the application by Mr. Thomas Mick himself which he made known to us
that he came from you, he succeeded in paying all the bank charges that you are supposed to pay
so as to make sure that we effect this transfer payment as quickly as possible without any further delay.
All duplicate copies of his payment receipt is attached to your file. He has made part payment all
amounting to $25,000.00.
The delay in the transferring the contract payment is due to the requested for a power of attorney
authorizing him to pursue this payment on your behalf. He asked for a week so as to submit the documents,
but up till now we have not received any of the documents from any of you. Why?
Please forward us the power of attorney by a return fax or by E-mail so that we can ask
Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) to affect your payment to his nominated Bank account on your behalf
without delay.
Thanks for your co-operation
Best Regard
ALEX KHAYE
Personal Clark/confidential secretary to the Minister of Finance
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