|
|
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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand u.s dollars" (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: Nadia <nadia.harihiri@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: harihirinadia@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:43:13 +0200 (EET)
Subject: Sincere Request.
Greetings,
My name is Mrs Nadia from Al-Harrah Al-Sanayamayn District in Syria. My Late husband was killed in Aleppo in his commercial business area because of our vast real estate business investment.
I write this to see if you can help me to keep this money with you for my Kids as most of our houses in Aleppo is destroyed. My husband and I are originally from Algeria but we have lived in Syria all our life. I am not sure if I can survive but incase anything happens to me, I will like you to keep for my kids (Seven-Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars).
My kids names are Baltasar, Sabeen and Ishtar. What you are to do is take 30% of this money and keep the rest for my Kids in case I did not make it. I managed to send my kids through another family to refuge camp because the same people that killed my husband will identify me if I try to escape with them.
If you accept to help me please tell me and reply me quickly.
Please consider me on this condition and email back because I can't answer a phone call now as all connection at bab al salaam area are blocked by the government. I will be happy if you accept to stand as my family investment manager to help secure the fund.
Awaiting your urgent response.
Nadia.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
