|
|
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 united states 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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Nicole Stuart <nicolestuart1@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: nicole.stuart195@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:02:14 +0800 (CST)
Subject: Greetings to you my dear
Greetings to you my dear
I am Miss Nicole Stuart 20 years old. I am the only daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Stuart. I solicit your urgent assistance to retrieve my inheritance fund in your custody due to political crisis in this nation.
My dearest, since after the sudden demise of my late Dad I have been encountering so many setbacks even the most painful part of the tragedy is the disruption of my education. My most priority now is the continuation of my study in your country while you engage in investing the funds into a secured and lucrative business of your choice because I have little or no knowledge about business field.
Please can you assist me to retrieve my late father¡¯s deposit sum of (USD11.2M) Eleven million two hundred thousand united states dollars? He deposited this fund in a financial institution here with my name as his next of Kin. I am waiting for your urgent response for further details regarding the funds transfer to you.
May God bless you as you respond to my cry for help.
Yours Sincerely,
Miss Nicole Stuart
|
Anti-fraud resources:
