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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "confidentiality of this transaction" (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.
- 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.
- aliu4ibrahim@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Senator Aliu Ibrahim <aliu4ibrahim@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: aliu4ibrahim@yahoo.com
Date: 18 Oct 2013 11:29:40 -0000
Subject: Fund Beneficiary
>From The Desk Of:Senator Aliu Ibrahim
Chairman Senate Committee
On Foreign Debt Payment
Federal Republic Of Nigeria
ATTN:Sir/Madam.
Re:Immediate Release of Your Fund Valued $15.5M
Sequel to directives given to us by the Federal Executive council (FEC) and our Senate to effect immediate payment of your long overdue fund $15.5M owed by our government to you and towards our verification and normalization of your immediate payment as we were mandated to carry out,you are to provide us with the following information:
I.Scanned copy of either your driving license or passport
II.Your full names,address and telephone number
As soon as we receive the above listed requirements and upon completion of our verification,further action will be taken without further delay regarding the immediate release of your fund to your account.Mind you,what will be released to your account for now is the principal sum in view of the limited fund available for this exercise.Do reconfirm your account details as stated below:
Bank:Bank Of America
Bank Add:1090 Vermont Ave NW
Washington DC 20005
Account No:0974826839
Routing No:026009593
Beneficiary:James W. Littlefield
Add:8080 Harborview Rd.
P.O. Box 3141
Blaine, Washington
It is through this account as obtained from your representative that your fund will be released to you.If you have any objection to this,please let us know immediately.
Please send your reply to my alternative e-mail address as
follows:(aliu4ibrahim@yahoo.com) for confidentiality of this transaction.
Yours Faithfully,
Senator Aliu Ibrahim
Chairman Senate Committee
On Foreign Debt Payment
Federal Republic Of Nigeria
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