|
|
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:
- 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Bunmi Abayomi" <msshunda26@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: imfmoneytryoffic1@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:21:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Very Important Information For You.
We have an atm card here in our office which has your name on it and your e-mail address attached to it.
It is for this just reason that we are writing this e-mail to you just
to for-warn you that if not claimed by the end of this month it will be
destroyed by fire this is in other to avoid it been stolen and used by
some person who is not you.
This we want to avoid and to protect your interest in the future, so that no one will say he or she has paid you your money.
So our question here is this. Are you ready to make claim to your atm card?
If yes kindly let us have your correct present location address so that
we will advise you on what must be done to have your atm card in your
hands within 24 hours and if no kindly write back to us immediately you
are in receipt of this e-mail to go ahead to destroy your atm card with
fire.
Lastly, if you insist on viewing your atm card we are ready to do so for
you to glance, ascertain and be sure it is your name that is on the
card.
We await the urgent response from you that will make or obliterate your future and tomorrow, it is up to you.
Mrs. Bunmi Abayomi.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
