|
|
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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447035939279 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Lloyd Bryan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lloydbryan.uk@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 03:02:24 -0000
Subject: FINAL DELIVERY/SPECIAL RELEASE GRANT
Dear Sir/Madam,
FINAL TRANSFER /DELIVERY AND SPECIAL RELEASE GRANT.
I wish to inform you that your fund is now cleared for immediate
transfer by swift and our security report shows that the diplomatic
courier arrangement caused a misconception about your payment and
these paved way for outright cancellation and a hold on your payment
but for the timely intervention of our security outfit on payments in
your category.
We have Received a result on the resolution reached about the
schedule for your category as beneficiary to the amount in question
and the Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer (DIST) that has now
exonerated you from terrorism and assure us that your money in our
custody is a clean money and as such should be delivered to you
immediately via Secure Wire international funds transfer(SWIFT).
Please take note for security reasons, the intruders that sent a
letter of change of beneficiary have no knowledge of this arrangement
The reason for the secret package is to enable us pay directly to your
account, and put some check and balances on your so called
representatives that wanted to divert your funds.
Therefore you are advised to forward to me your full account where you
want the transfer to be made. Call me for further information
Tel: +447035939279.
Please note that we need to conclude this arrangement in this first
schedule so, so strict adherance to this instruction will be highly
favourable to your transfer.
Yours Faithfully,
Lloyd Bryan
|
Anti-fraud resources:
