|
|
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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "KALLON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <phikallon24@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 22:00:42 +0200
Subject: URGENT PROPOSAL
Dear Sir,
I hope this letter may not come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have never met before but rather as an opportunity for us to do business together which requires your indulgence and confidentiality.
I am Philip Kallon the son of Gen Morris Kallon who was former RUF commander in Sierra Leone. I am temporarily resident in Accra Ghana.
I write to inform you of my intention to seek your assistance in the matter of the money which I inherited from my father which I have in a consignment which is at the Accra airport now and due to leave for oversea by next week and as a matter of fact, I have nobody now to handle the receiving of the consignment there. The person who could have handled it as the trustee to the funds is no longer active due to old age and ill health. This compelled me to contact you and to seek your help to make sure the funds in the consignment is taken care of by way of receiving it and eventually sending for me to join you there for an onward investment of the funds into a profitable and legitimate business of your choice there. The consignment contains $13.5M. but this is for your ears alone as this means the whole of my life and as such I would want you to handle it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.
The money was purely made from the sales of diamonds.
I shall send you all the documents and information covering this transaction later after I have heard from you. .
God bless you while I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Philip Kallon.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
