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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "western union" (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. )
- 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!
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- barrcharleslawson@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr Phelimom Ghazi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrcharleslawson@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:21:47 -0800
Subject: YOUR URGENT NOTICE
WORLD FINANCIAL COMPENSATION BOARD
UNITED KINGDOM.
ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY
THIS IS TO INFORMING THAT THE WORLD FINANCIAL COMPENSATION BOARD HAS APPROVED THE END YEAR COMPENSATION PAYMENT FOR ALL THE FOREIGN BENEFICIARY AND SCAM VICTIMS WHO LOSE THEIR FUND OR WHO COULD NOT RECEIVE THEIR DUE TO ONE REASON, AND YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS TRACE AMONG THE LISTED ADDRESSES FOR THE COMPENSATION.
THEREFORE THE SUM $500.000USD HAS BEEN CREDITS TO THE CASH POINT CENTRAL ACCOUNT SYSTEM, HEAD OFFICE UK LONDON, FOR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER TO YOU THE OWNER OF THIS EMAIL ADDRESS.
SO IF YOU ARE THE REAL OWNER OF THIS EMAIL ADDRESS, YOUR EXPECTED TO CONTACT THE CASH POINT OFFICE AND FORWARD THEM YOUR INFORMATION BELOW TO TRANSFER YOUR COMPENSATION FUND $500.000USD TO YOU IMMEDIATELY EITHER BIT BY BIT BY WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR DIRECT BANK TO BANK TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT.
YOUR FULL NAME:
TEL:
ADDRESS:
OCCUPATION:
AGE:
CONTACT: DIRECTOR: MR CHARLES.
CASH POINT CENTRAL TRANSFER SYSTEM UK LONDON
EMAIL:barrcharleslawson@gmail.com
ALT E:charleslawsonoffice@wbfcboard.org
TEL: + (44) 7024030904 EXT 183
FISCAL: + (44) 7024014157
CONTACT THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR REFERENCE NUMBER NO.(9662/WFCB/EMAIL) AND ASK THEM TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND $500.000USD
TO YOU AS YOU PREFER IT, BANK TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT OR BIT BY BIT THROUGH THEIR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER SERVICE TO YOU.
BE AWARE THAT AN INSTRUCTION HAS BEEN GIVE THAT ANY UN-CLAIMED $500.000USD SHOULD BE CONFISCATED TO THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT AS ABANDON FUND, SO BE ADVICE TO CONTACT THEM IMMEDIATELY.
KINDLY INFORM US ONCE YOU RECEIVE YOUR CASH PRIZE COMPENSATION FUND $500.000USD.
REGARDS
DR PHILEMON GHAZI
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