|
|
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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Fred Gibson, FDIC USA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fred.gibs0n@outlook.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 19:47:36 +0100
Subject: NNPC Developmental Fund.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Office of Inspector General
3501 Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA, 22226
Dear beneficiary.
This is to inform you that you are among the beneficiaries of $250m USD from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Development Fund for humanitarian project(s) in your community. Beneficiaries were selected through special ballot and you are among the lucky beneficiaries of $5m USD each. On receipt of this fund you are to establish a project that will be beneficial to the less privileged individuals in your community. Get back for more details.
Faithfully yours.
Mr. Fred Gibson.
Acting Inspector General, FDIC USA.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
