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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 united state 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- aamina_alhajji@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Aamina Alhajji." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <aamina_alhajji@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2013 04:41:52 +0200
Subject: Blessing/Greetings.
Family Funds For CHARITABLE Projects.
I am Mrs. Aamina Al-Hajji from Kuwait-City in Kuwait, a wife to Late Dr. Hamza Al-Hajji who worked with Kuwaiti embassy in Ivory Coast for years before he died in the year 2005. We were married for eleven years without a child and he died just after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Since his death I decided not to re-marry due to my religious faith. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of U$18,000,000.00 (Eighteen Million United State Dollars) with one finance/security Company in Europe and the fund is still presently with this Security Company. Recently my Doctor told me that I would not last for another three months due to cancer problem but what disturbs me most now is the stroke sickness that i am having presently.
Having known my condition I decided to donate my Husband Funds to an organization or better still a Godly individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct him/her hence i am contacting you with this offer. I want you to use this fund to assist orphanages/old people's homes and widows or any charitable projects of your choice. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are people of questionable characters so you can see why I don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by such kind of people or in an ungodly manner. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health condition and because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them to know of my intentions regarding the funds.
As soon as I receive your positive reply with your full contact details and copy of your identity proof, I shall give same to my lawyer that will prepare the necessary documentations from a competent Court that will present you as my legitimate Next of Kin to the deposited Fund. Any delay or none response on your part will give me room in sourcing for another organization or individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here in. I will want you to retain 30% for yourself for your generous work and, 10% for any expenses if there is any upon the completion of the transaction while the balance funds are to be used as explained above. I will also give you the contact information of my family lawyer in Europe who will guide you on the processes of how you can contact the security company for the release of the funds to you upon your acceptance to stand as the beneficiary to the funds.
Remain blessed in the name of the Lord, as I hope to hear from you soon
Yours in Christ
Mrs. Aamina Al-Hajji.
Email: aamina_alhajji@aol.com
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