|
|
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:
- "million pounds" (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: "SMJOPA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lry.chester1@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:44:35 -0400
Subject: Confirm Interest
Hello,
I am going to be precise, simple and brief.
I am an Investment Officer with a Bank in the UK which also has an Investment arm. While Saif al-islam Gadhafi was schooling and living in the UK, he discreetly authorised a personal investment of Four-Million Pounds from Libya's Sovereign Wealth Funds(LSWF) of Seventy Billion Dollars into a research company via my bank.
The very few people that know about this investment from the LSWF is either deceased or captured ( http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/20111119111936535209.html ) by the revolutionary forces. I want you to stand in, transfer the funds while we split the money 60% mine and 40% yours. I can confirm that the transfer is secure and safe. I would provide more details when I confirm your readiness.
Contact me as soon as possible if you are interested.
Yours sincerely
SPJ
|
Anti-fraud resources:
