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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:
- 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 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)
- "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Mariam Late Sani Abacha." <captainfixcustomscontroller@gmail.com>
Reply-To: egix03cp@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Tue, 27 May 2014 14:34:15 +0100
Subject: Greetings.
Sir/Ma.
My name is Mrs. Mariam Late Sani Abacha, I hereby appeal for your
(CONFIDENCE) assistance after going through your profil to assist Me &
Family invest my us$39.6million dollars I have in ABROAD during Regime of
my late husband into house land's properties through my Personal assistance
in your country on my behalf and take 27% for your assistance please,
because Me & Family are under restrictions of movement since after the
death of my late husband.
I wait for your respond with your address/ph; and invest the funds through
my Personal assistance into good properties on my behalf after taking your
share please, also be rest assured that the funds is 100% legitimate risk
free unconnected to any form of illegality and feel free to communicate
with my Personal assistance via for any clarification and reply me through
my private email
Mrs. Mariam late Sani Abacha.
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Anti-fraud resources: