|
|
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:
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- bliksinfo11@yahoo.co.uk (Yahoo, United Kingdom; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.Philip Bliks" <philip_bliks@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: bliks_king@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:14:19 -0700
Subject: Re-Important Message
Attention: Prospective Partner
I apologize if this mail does not suit your personal or business ethics.
My name is Dr. Philip Bliks; I am a Director with the African Development Bank. I write you in
strict confidence, believing that I may be able to trust you to be my confidential foreign partner.
The funds ear marked by the Benin Republic Government for the payment of contracts to foreign
contractors between 2009 - 2011, yielded interest of US$15.5 million in one of the numerous
Federation Accounts with the African Development Bank. I write to seek your consent to introduce you
through an official recommendation as the beneficiary to receive the accrued interest funds valued
at US$15.5million.
The status of such accrued interest funds usually has an open beneficiary mandate; in order words a
beneficiary can only be certified through an official recommendation because of the way the account
was structured.
Consequently I urgently need to go into partnership with you, please i need your private or company
bank account to transfer the funds.
I wish to conclude this transaction with you in strict confidence and I am willing to give you 30%
of the funds, if you accept to work with me on this confidential transaction.
The Transcation is 100% risk free.
Contact me on my personal e-mail account:(bliksinfo11@yahoo.co.uk) for further information.
I wait your swift responses.
Dr. Philip Bliks
|
Anti-fraud resources:
