|
|
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:
- "million british pounds" (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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Michael Wallos" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michaelwallos@tlen.pl>
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:35:39 +0100
Subject: Transaction proposal
Attention.
Sequel to your non response of my earlier letter to you
as the Trustee and Executor to the Will of my late client
Morris Ausborn, Who before his death deposited the sum
of Twelve Million British pounds in a bank here
in United Kingdom.
I have been unsuccessful in locating his relatives for over
five years and the Bank has instructed me to present his
next of kin or they will have the fund transferred to
Reserve Bank as an unclaimed fund. I seek your consent to
present you as the Next of Kin of the deceased so that the
deposit be release to you as the beneficiary. All Legal
documents to aid your claim of this fund and to prove
your relationship with the deceased will be arranged for.
Your help will be appreciated with 50% of the total sum.
All that I require is your cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through.
Please accept my apologies, keep my confidence and disregard
this email if not interested. However, if you do agree to
this term, please include your phone and fax number in your
response for better communication.
Regards to you and your family.
Michael Wallos
MSB SOLICITORS LLP
17A ALLERTON ROAD,
MERSEYSIDE
LIVERPOOL
L18 1LG
|
Anti-fraud resources:
