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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million us 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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Sanusi Abdulahi." <pablo168@verizon.net>
Reply-To: imffmoneytryoffiic@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 19:03:01 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Finally.
IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE
INTERNATIONAL FUNDS REGULATORY AUTHORITY
INTER-CONTINENTAL DEBT RECONCILIATION DEPT.
FROM THE DESK OF: HONORABLE MRS. SANUSI ABDULAHI . .DIRECTOR; IMF World Regulatory Office.
ATTENTION:PROVISION OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM CERTIFICATE FOR LEGAL COVER/ PROTECTION OF US$15.5M IN FAVOR OF YOU
I
AM WRITING THIS VERY URGENT MAIL TO YOU NOW TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I PIUS
AYIM PIUS HAVE JUST BEEN APPOINTED AS THE NEW SECRETARY OF THE FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AS SUCH I HAVE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN MY TIME TO LOOK
INTO YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE A FOREIGNER
YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED YOUR LONG OVER DUE FUND WORTH THE TOTAL SUM F $15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS OVER THE YEARS.
AS
SUCH I AM USING MY POWER TO ORDER THIS MAGNIFICENT OFFICE TO
IMMEDIATELY SWING
INTO ACTION IN MAKING SURE YOU ARE PAID WHAT IS DUE TO YOU OVER THE
YEARS AND BY DOING SO ALL AND ANY FEE NEEDED HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO ONLY
THE SUM OF
$48THIS IS IN OTHER TO ENABLE AND ALLOW THAT YOUR FUND IS DULY RELEASED
TO YOU NOW.
KNOW
THIS THAT YOU WILL NEVER EVER PAY ANY OTHER FEE EVER AGAIN AS THE
PRESIDENT WHO WAS ALSO SWORN IN ON MONDAY BY ELECTION IS VERY MUCH AWARE
OF YOUR OVER DUE OWED FUND WHICH MUST BE PAID OUT TO YOU WITHIN 3
WORKING DAYS FROM NOW.
PLEASE
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ONLY 3 WORKING DAYS TO DO THIS PAYMENT SO WE CAN CLEAR,RELEASE
AND EFFECT YOUR OVER DUE FUND WORTH $15.5M US IN OUR CARE TO ANY BANK ACCOUNT OF
YOUR CHOICE SO WE ADVICE YOU TO PAY THE $48
THROUGH THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
RECEIVERS NAME: AWA CHUSI
RECEIVERS ADDRESS: CITY : LAGOS
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
AMOUNT: $48
M.T.C.N NUMBER:
TEXT QUESTION: GREEN
TEXT ANSWER: WHITE
WE
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE INDEED VERY VERY SORRY FOR ANY
INCONVENIENCES ANY DELAY THIS MUST HAVE CAUSED YOU.
YOUR URGENT RESPONSE TO THIS E-MAIL NOW WILL GO A LONG
WAY IN HELPING US ENSURE YOUR PAYMENT IS RELEASED TO YOU WITHIN 72 HOURS
OF YOU ACTING AS INSTRUCTED YOU NOW ABOVE.
RESPOND BACK IMMEDIATELY.
MRS. SANUSI ABDULAHI .
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