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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:
- "million us 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)
- "% will be for you" (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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: aka_henrere@sify.com
Reply-To: aka.henrere1958@y7mail.com
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:21:46 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AKA HENRERE (RESPOND FAST)
("REMITTANCE OF $25.8 MILLION U.S.A DOLLARS
(CONFIDENTIAL IS THE CASE")
I am Dr Aka Henrere from burkina faso. I want to seek your assistance after my discovery during auditing in my bank as am the manager of Bill and Exchange at the Foriegn Remittance Department of BANK OF AFRICA,(B.O.A.)
In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of USD$25.8million US dollars in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family in plane Crash 2003.
It is therefore upon this discovery that I decided as the head of my department to make this business proposal to you and release the money to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed bills.
You should not nurse any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the smooth transfer of this funds and your acceptance is what will
crown this effort.
We will conclude this operation within 21 banking days based on the amount of coperation you will contribute. The fund will be shared in the ratio of 40% will be for you as a forign partner, 60% will be for me.
Thank you for your understanding as i await your urgent response to enable me give you more details don't forget to give me those informations below to enable me know you very well before we can go ahead in this business/project.
Your International passport or ID card.......
Your private telephone number................
Your profession...............................
Your age.....................................
Your country....................................
Your's faithfully
Dr Aka Henrere
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