|
|
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:
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- ",500,000" (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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss Sandra." <sandra_ahlin01@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: sandra.ahlin@rocketmail.com
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:26:18 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Happy New Year.
Happy New Year.
My Name Miss.Sandra Ahlin. It is my pleasure to contact you for this business venture though i have not meet with you before but i believe one has to risk in life confiding in someone in order to succeed in life at times.
Am presently working with the Bank Atlantic of Togo, And there is this amount (US$7,500,000,00)Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars which belonged to a deceased customer who is an Arab man,Who died in a ghastly car accident 9years back and no one has come for the claim of his property.
After 6years of his death i diverted this fund to an escrow account belonging to no one in the bank. The Bank is anxious now to know who the beneficiary to the fund is because they have made a lot of profit with the fund and now wishes to confiscate and share the fund amongst the Directors.
The assistance i need from you now is to assume the bona fide next of kin to the late customer so that I can ask the Bank to transfer the money into your own bank and account for our mutual sharing and benefit. In my capacity as the Accounts Manager, I have the privilege to cause the money to be transferred to whomsoever that I give clearance. It is absolutely legitimate and risk free.
After the successful transfer of the fund into your bank and account i will like to travel down to your country and invest with my own share of the money in real estate business or tele-communication.
I will await your response for further details and next line of action.
Miss. Sandra Ahlin.
(International Remittance Dept. Account Zonal Manager)
|
Anti-fraud resources:
