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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Doris Macfoy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnbuertey1952@zing.vn>
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:46:13 +0500
Subject: BUSINESS OFFER AT YOUR DOORSTEP
Dear Future Partner,
I am the Branch Manager of a Reputable Bank in the Capital City of Accra-Ghana (West Africa). Recently, I discovered a Lump Sum of Money from my Branch totaling US$63.9million that has not been operated by the Beneficiary/Account Owner as at the Year 2006-2012.
However, my Private Investigations revealed that the Original Account Owner have passed away after a brief illness in the Year 2005 and leaving no Legalized Will as to whom shall become the Next of Kin/Inheritor of the said funds.Therefore,anybody from any part of the World can become the Inheritor/Next of Kin as the case may be.
I would like to partner with you in this very transaction whereby I can use my Position as the Branch Manager of my Bank to make you the Next of Kin cum the Inheritor of the US$63.9million for possible evacuation of the funds in question without any legal implication attached. Our Sharing Ratio will be 50/50 only if interested. Further details will be sent to you upon receipt of your positive response to the above subject matter.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Doris Macfoy
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