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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "ISA INUWA" <karimal316@gmail.com>
Reply-To: isainuwa@outlook.com
Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:30:13 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: DEPOSIT.
I am Mr.Isa Inuwa,a Nigerian and executive director of finance Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation.I am in charge of payment of all the
executed NNPC contracts.There is an over invoice payment of $7.2 Million
Dollars which I have deposited in a special account with a Bank here in
Nigeria and the bank manager is my very close friend and confidant.
As a civil servant who is still very active in my job I will operate under
cover for security reason hence this mail.I know this will sound like scam
as everybody that scam is synonymous to Nigeria,but this is a matter of
fact.
I will need you to act as the beneficiary of this sum and all the document
will be change in your favor as the bona fide beneficiary.This is a very
simple and risk free transaction and if you are interested I will direct
you to the bank manager with whom you will conclude the transaction.Nobody
know about this except myself and the bank manager and you must keep it as
a top secret.
I will share 60/40 percent each,40% of the total sum for your assistance
while I go for 60% and 10% will be set aside for expenses.
I will give you more details when I here from you but do not bother to
reply if you are not interested.
Please reach me only on this email.isainuwa@outlook.com
Faithfully,
ISA INUWA.
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