|
|
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:
- "million 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mike George Esq" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgemike888@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 00:27:01 +0600
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP
Hello ,
Let me begin by introducing myself properly to you, I am Mike George personal attorney to a Late Engineer and personal contractor to Col Muammar Gaddafi who died during Libya crisis. before his death he was one of late Col Muammar Gaddafi`s contractors responsible for Constructions of numerous projects sites, I have a very sensitive and private brief to ask for your partnership to re-profile funds over $21.5 Million US Dollars that was part of the substantial Deposit for final payment of hotel 2 fevrier and several other part of Gaddafi initiative in western Region for Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation (GICDF). You can read more on this site:http://www.webgaza.net/arab/ngo_profiles/Gaddafi-Charity-Foundation.htm
I need your help in moving this fund to UK.
Respectfully,
Mike George Esq.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
