|
|
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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Sam Atta-mills <samattamills5@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 18 May 2014 03:21:30 +0200
Subject: US$11.4 M ( Can we work togtether
--
Attn: Sir/Madam
I am Mr. Samuel Mills and investment broker based in South Africa and I
am writing to see you cooperation is the remittance of US$11.4 Million
United States dollars which is hanging in a bank in South Africa and about
to be liquidated by the Reserve Bank as unclaimed funds.
I have a deceased client from Malawi who owns this fund and I will give you
more details when I hear from you.
The source of the fund is from the MALAWI CASH-GATE DONOUR FUND ( news
caption:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2014/01/29/68-malawian-civil-servants-charged-in-cashgate-scandal
,
http://www.voanews.com/content/malawi-cashgate-corruption-scandal-throw-joyce-banda-political-future-into-jeopardy/1834822.html
) which was liquidated in Malawi and deposited here in a south African bank
in my care by a deceased client and no mandate or next of kin was set to
this account and because of non activity on this account since 5 years, the
Reserve bank has corresponded with the address of the account owner for 5
years without any communication and this fund is about to be moved to the
Reserve Bank as unclaimed fund and that is why I am communicating with you
to seek your assistance to claim this fund and together we can come to an
agreement of how we will share this fund together.
I have all documentation to back up the claim and being the attorney to the
deceased owner of the account makes it impossible to claim this fund and
also being that the owner of the fund is a foreigner, I will not be able to
use a citizen of this country to claim this fund hence I am contacting you.
You can get back to me for more introduction and further discussion after
which you can decide your further cooperation to this business.
Hoping to hear from you and will forward my full information to you for
further introduction based on the interest you will show in your response.
Have a wonderful day.
Mr. Samuel Mills
|
Anti-fraud resources:
