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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- brff.headoffice@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: bernard russell <bnardrussell@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 18:00:47 +0100
Subject: RE; A very important message.
*Hello Friend,
The sum of US$85.9million was concealed in a 5 Trunk Boxes and deposited
with a Private Security Company in the Republic of Ghana by a Top
Government Official (Name Withheld) and hereinafter seeks your Partnership
for the evacuation of these Cash Funds out of the Country for intelligent
Safekeeping. The person in question is a Presidential Aspirant for the 2012
Presidential Election in the Republic of Ghana. Your reward for
participating in this risk free Business Deal will be 50% of the
aforementioned Funds only if interested, ready and willing to fly to Ghana
to stand as the Owner cum Beneficiary of the said amount before the
Security Company for possible claiming.
If you are interested to carry on with this proposal, send your private
telephone numbers and email address for discussion of this offer in full
details at my private E-mail: brff.headoffice@yahoo.com.
Thanks
Yours Respectfully,
Dr.Russell Bortey Bernard.
Republic of Ghana.*
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Anti-fraud resources: