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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:
- "foreign payment department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Pat <xzymcd@superposta.com>
Reply-To: xzymccd@mail.mn
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 01:22:28 +0300
Subject: Re: Can I TRULY TRUST you? Ref: 003/200213.09.17
Date: 17.09.2013 Ref: 003/200213.09.17
Hello my friend,
My Name is Mr. Patrick McDonnell from Manchester City England. I am the Head of Computing Dept & Finance Director of London Scottish Bank Plc here in England.
There
is an account opened in this bank in 2001 and since my inception into
office on 2nd Jan 2009, I then found this account and when I
investigated deeply by contacting the assigned Next of Kin I also found
that the Next of Kin to the account was an American who lived in London
for over 55yrs and nobody has operated on this account since after 2004.
I took the courage to look for a reliable and honest person who will be
capable to handle the materializing for this important transaction, in
order to transfer out One Hundred Million U.S Dollars.
After
going through some old files, I discovered that if I do not remit this
money out urgently, it will be forfeited for nothing and the London
Scottish Bank Plc management might divert the funds to her accounts.
Please respond immediately and I will use my position and influence to
effect the legal approval and onward transfer of this fund into your
account with appropriate clearance from foreign payment department.
I will furnish you in with more details upon your reply.
You
can call me directly on my private telephone number + 44 745 201 7155
so that we can discuss more on how to transfer these funds to your
designated account in your country.
I look forward to your affirmative response.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Patrick McDonnell LSB IT & Finance Director Tel Nr: 00 44 745 201 7155
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