|
|
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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- alonsodalton@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MEGAMILLION LOTTERY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <maryannespn@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 20:20:29 +0200
Subject: MEGAMILLION PRIZE CLAIM
MEGAMILLION SWEEP STAKE LOTTERY
PRIZE PROMOTION DEPT
C / ISABLE 111 (3) 55 F A1 PLAZA MADRID 28000 SPAIN
TEL: 00 34 91 379 61 0 EXT 9 6 5
DEAR: WINNER
PRIZE CLAIM APPROVED REF:MMSLP-92-32-11-00-200:
You have won Lottery prize claim of €795,000 Euros from the released result of the of the MEGA MILLION Lottery International promotion program dated 20th August 2010. Your Winning Batch No: MMXX727-12-010. Approved claim No: 92-32-11-00-200. send your details.
CONGRATULATION!
Name:----------------------------------------------------
Address:------------------------------------------------
Telephone:--------------------------------------------
Occupation:------------------------------------------
Age :----------------------------------------------------
Copy of Identification
Bank Name:------------------------------------------
Bank Address:--------------------------------------
Bank Account No:---------------------------------
You are to send your bank account details for processing release of your money €795,000 EUROS . All details you should send to your agent Mr Alonso Dalton at Email: alonsodalton@hotmail.com
This prize claim is real and legitmate and genuine, if you do not wish to process your claim ,please dont reply this message. if you wish to process and receive your prize you should response immidiately and with 3 days your fund will get remitted to you.
Remember that 5% is agent commission fee pay the them only after you received your prize claim.
Thanks
MRS MARY ANNA PEDRO
MEGA MILLION SWEEP STAKE LOTTERY
PRIZE PROMOTION DEPT
|
Anti-fraud resources:
