|
|
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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: saba ukika <sabaukika@voila.fr>
Reply-To: sa_uki@voila.fr
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 04:46:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: MR SABA UKIKA
Â
FROM THE DESK OF: MR SABA UKIKAÂ
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (A.D.B),
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO,
WEST AFRICA. Â
Â
DEAR FRIEND,
Â
This message might meet you in
utmost surprise, however,it's just my urgent need for foreign partner that made
me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from Burkina
faso in west Africa and currently holding the post of Director .I have the
opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($30million
Dollars) of one of my bank clients who died along with his entire
family on 31 july 2000 in a plane crash.You can confirm the genuineness of the
deceased death by clicking on this web site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Hence,i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared
between us in the ratio of 60/30 while 10% will be mapped out for expenses.If
you agree to my business proposal.further details of the transfer will be
forwarded to you as soon as i receive your return mail.
Â
Â
This account has been dormant since 2000 that i have been
monitoring it .I do advice you to keep this as a top secret. I wait for your
urgent reply once you are
interested to be my partner kindly send the below
information’s
  Â
 Your informations
1.your name..................
2.your
phone.................
3.age........................
4.sex..........................
5.profession.................
6.address......................
Â
THANKS
MR
SABA UKIKAÂ
Â
|
Anti-fraud resources:
