|
|
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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
- wilsonhelen45@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Helen Wilson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wilsonhelen45@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:03:06 +0100
Subject: VERY URGENT, Waiting to hear from you
My name is Ms Helen Wilson, an Accountant with FCMB Plc. I'm writing
following an opportunity in my office that will be of great benefit to us.
I am contacting you because you have same last name to my client who
pasted away since 2002 leaving the sum of 3.4 M USD with no Next of Kin.
I can present you as the beneficiary to the inheritance because you bear
the surname identity.
I therefore reckoned that you can receive these funds as you are qualified
by your name identity. All the legal papers will be processed in your
acceptance in your acceptance of this proposal.
We will share in the Ratio of 50/50 % at the end of this deal. All I
require is your honest cooperation. I'll send you details of this proposal
including my Photos and ID for you to me better, as soon as I hear from
you.
For details, Please contact me on wilsonhelen45@yahoo.com.hk
immediately.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
