|
|
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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Barrister.Thomas Rainsborg" <steponespms@stepone-air.com>
Reply-To: thomasrainsborg@qq.com
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 21:10:16 +0600
Subject: Confidential Proposal
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Barr.Thomas Rainsborg a Financial consultant and attorney to Late
Mrs.Sneha L Gupta ,a business tycoon holding a dual citizenship of London
and India.Two (2) years ago She was killed by terrorist in Pakistan while
on a business trip.Before her untimely death she informed me about a
fixed deposit she made to a Financial Security Firm amounting the sum of
Twenty Million Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars [USD$20.8M]
which she declared as a Family Treasure with the Financial Security
Company. All the documentations in regard to the Fixed deposit are with
me as her legal adviser.
I was contacted by the Security Company to hereby present a next of
kin/Beneficiary to have a claim to the said Fixed deposit, I want to
legally present you as the next of kin to the Financial Security Company
so that you can claim the deposit and invest it in any profitable
venture.We share it on a 50/50 ratio.
If you are capable of investing this fund for any profitable ventures in
your country, contact me for further explanations with the following
details :
1.Full Name
2.Age
3.Telephone Number
4.Occupation
5.Country
I waits to hear from you,
Regards,
Barr.Thomas Rainsborg
|
Anti-fraud resources:
