419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "vincentsmithloanlender@gmail.com" (This email address looks like addresses used in fake loan scams. Be suspicious of any lender who uses a free webmail address or who is based in different country from yourself.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- vincentsmithloanlender@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Vincent Smith <oceanfinance4uu@gmail.com>
Reply-To: vincentsmithloanlender@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2014 21:57:23 -0800
Subject: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Kontaktieren_Sie_uns_f=FCr_eine_schnelle_und_zuverl=E4?=
=?ISO-8859-1?Q?ssige_Darlehen_mit_3=25_Zinsen?=

--
SUCHEN SIE KREDIT, haben Sie jemals für Darlehen beantragt und konnte
nicht mehr, oder hat es gedauert, so viel Zeit VOR ANREISE ihm haben
Sie betrogen, belogen SOWIE oder im Namen auf einen Kredit?

Nun, Sie haben die Möglichkeit, einen Kredit bekommen. Dies ist eine
private KREDIT feste Organisation von Vincent Smith, der IST ITALIEN
UND auch die reichste WHITE Mann der Welt ..

Beantragen Sie Ihr DRINGEND Darlehen heute und haben es in Ihrem
Bankkonto Innerhalb der nächsten 48 Stunden

Vollständiger Name:
LAND:
Darlehensbetrag:
DAUER:
Telefonnummer:

Kontaktieren Sie uns mit dem Vorstehenden über das untenstehende
E-MAIL-ADRESSE: vincentsmithloanlender@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam