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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:
- "a security company " (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. )
- "huge amount of money" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "million united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- 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: Rosa Savimbi <jones@gh>
Reply-To: <rosasavimbi0077@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:44:44 +0600
Subject: Ref.FAMILY TREASURE....HELP ME
--
Dear Good Friend,
Firstly let me introduce myself. I am Mrs. Rosa Jonas
Savimbi wife of the late leader of the National Union of the total
Liberation of Angola (U.N.I.T.A) who died on the February 25th 2002 by the
bullet of the ruling government troop.
Before his untimely death He left a huge amount of money which amount to
$65million (sixty five million united
state dollars) he kept the money under my care in case of eventuality so
that the future of me and our children will be secure. When we heard the
bad news of his death, his trusted aid moved me and the children out of our
hiding, we traveled in a fishing boat to Ghana from where I am making this
contact.
The money has been coded and secretly deposited in a security company and
declared as FAMILY TREASURE for safe keep And Investment.
I am offering you 30% of the total money if you will assist me to move
this money out of its present location as the foreign beneficiary, while I
and my family will have 70 %.( Its Negotiable).
I am assuring you that this transaction is risk free as we have put all
the logistics in place to make
it successful. Power of Attorney/Transfer of right and privileges would be
issued in your Name.
I will wait for your response before I can open up the
modus- operandi of this transaction to you in detail. Please read the
below Africa news regarding my Late Husband Jonas Savimbi (May his Gentle
soul rest in perfect peace. Amen...
http://www.the-idler.com/IDLER-02/3-16.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1839000/1839252.stm
Thanks for your understanding,
yours in Business,
Mrs. Rosa Jonas Savimbi
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