|
|
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:
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- bensonwilliamscole@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Williams Cole." <infobensoncole.org@elcangrinaje.org>
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 08:02:21 +0200
Subject: RE:PAYMENT NOTIFICATION OF OLD CONTRACT/INHERITANCE ARREARS.
bensonwilliamscole@hotmail.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
Foreign Operation Dept
Tinubu Square Lagos
Email:bensonwilliamscole@hotmail.com
Our ref CBN/TD/0021/069
Attn:
RE:PAYMENT NOTIFICATION OF OLD CONTRACT/INHERITANCE ARREARS.
We have the pleasure to inform you of an approval obtained from the new Acting President Dr Goodluck Jonathan,Senate Committee on Contract/Inheritance Payments to pay
the entire amount owed and due to you in settlement of fund through the Federal Government of Nigeria Disbursement Reserve Account (F.G.D.R.A).
We have noted with concern the wrongful withholding of your long overdue payment by a syndicate of corrupt public officers who have made several unsuccessful attempts
to divert your funds into their corrupt private accounts overseas.This discovery was made recently by a report submitted to my office by the President and the Senate
Committee for the Review of Foreign Debts.
Based on this approval,we have already credited the entire sum in you favour through our overseas paying bank,Please,kindly reconfirm your details and the Receiving
Bank details to confirm with what we have in our records to avoid wrongful diversion.
On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria,we regret all financial losses you may have incurred in the past as a result of official misconduct and we wish to
record here our appreciation for the great patience exhibited by you and members of your company in waiting for this payment.
Congratulations!
Yours truly,
Mr Williams Cole.
CONTROLLER TREASURY BOARD.
Foreign Operation Dept/Treasury (CBN).
|
Anti-fraud resources: