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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Hassan Abdu Aziz <hassanabduaziz@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2015 12:17:06 -0800
Subject: URGENT REPLY
As-Salamu Alaykum
I am Hassan Abdul-Aziz a cousin to late president Muammar Gaddafi of Libya
and a close friend to his late son who
died with him in the attack that resulted in killing the formal president
of Libya. I was present in the last attack
which killed Muammar Gaddafi.Right now i am in a house arrest in Calabar
Nigeria. I came to this country when i heard
the death of Muamor Gadafi and one of his son. I was very afraid when i
heard it so i left my country then Libya and
since then has been hiding here waiting for the righ time to make contact
on whom i can entrust this secret of
valuebles and cash to before i came in contact with your email address in a
business directory which painted you a
good muslim brother serious minded merchant business man who is connected
internationally that is why i contacted you
for this deal believing that you can handle it Isha Allah.
As a close friend to his late son, he handed over to me a vital document or
a prove of some of their family valuables
saved out side Libya. This documents include bundles or diamond gold and
cash which he saved outside his country.He
told me that he saved this valuables is a security company because banks in
Libya and other countries of the world
cannot allow him to transfer the money from bank or to save the valuables
as well.Now my condition here does not
allow me to make any move of this country because if i do i might be
captured as well because many of my countries
citizens knows me as a friend to his late son.
Now i need your confidential assistance to help for the claim of this
valuable saved by my good friend before his
death.His family does not know about this information because they where
outside the country before his death so i
was the one with him before the shot him but Allah helped me to escaped.
Treat this matter as very confidential for i will not like to be exposed
with this information because my life might
be in danger. I am here in a refugee camp here in Nigeria but if you want
to hear from me i can devise a means of
communicating you with even on telephone Isha Allahu.This is an urgent deal
and it needs to be followed up
immediately.
Please look at these information on this site if possible.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2097446,00.html
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1021/libya.html
http://news.yahoo.com/libyan-dictator-moammar-gadhafi-dead-rebels-claim-122438187.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/oct/20/syria-libya-middle-east-unrest-live
Please if you are interested to help and assure me of your confidentiality
in this matter I will tell you the country
where this valuables and money are presently for you to prepare yourself
and go for the claim as I will direct you on
what you should do when you arrive.Bear in mind that there is no risk
whatsoever involved in this deal.I will be
waiting to hear from you as soon as you get this email today.Please forward
to me your telephone number and address
and international passport copy for proper securing of the valuables and
cash in your name.
Alhamdulillah
Your Brother.
Hassan
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