|
|
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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "good day friend" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "your humble assistance" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "back to me via my private e-mail" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "jlawson@live.nl" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- j1lawsontg@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Jean Lawson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <j1lawsontg@aim.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 23:37:53 +0200
Subject: Urgent Request From Jean.
Good Day Friend,
I have a proposition Involving the sum of $18.5 Million to discuss with you. It will be of mutual benefit to both of us, and I believe we can handle together once we have a common understanding and mutual cooperation in the execution of the modalities.
I need your humble assistance in repatriating this fund left behind by our late client that died, before it is declared unserviceable within the next 30 days. I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction. Every attempt to trace any member of his family has proved unsuccessful and abortive. If you are interested, please revert back to me via my private e-mail (j1lawsontg@aim.com) or (jlawson@live.nl) to enable me provide you with more info.
I await your urgent response.
Yours Sincerely,
Jean Lawson (esq)
|
Anti-fraud resources:
