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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- osaoillift@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Sol.Osage" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <osaoillift@rediffmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2012 08:23:49 -0700
Subject: Dear Confidant, ok
Dear Confidant,
In my desperate search for a reliable business partner and thus I was attracted to your email contact profile hence I decided to contact you hoping for your unreserved acceptance, matured understanding and cooperation.
I am into Oil & Gas marketing of which I represent and manage one of the Senator's whom I lift his Crude Oil allocation Now.I have an outstanding US$7.6Milliom which originated from excess crude oil over-invoiced and supplied.This amount is floating unclaimed and I run the risk of loosing the whole fund should I fail to urgently get A partner abroad who will help me evacuate the US$7.6 Million via his/her account and it is at this point am soliciting for your partnership by receiving this fund.
Upon your response and acceptance to assist me we shall both agree on the percentage of sharing. Am urgently waiting for your reply.
Yours confidant,
Solomon Osage
Email: osaoillift@rediffmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources: