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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "ecowas " (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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: "MR. MATHIAS ROMAN" <fitrend@biznetvigator.com>
Reply-To: mathias-roman@hotmail.ru
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2015 20:53:41 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: WHAT IS GOING ON?
WE HAVE SENT YOU SEVERAL MAIL REGARDING YOUR ATM WORTH $16.800,000.00 BUT NO REPLY, IT MADE ME UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS ANY MORE BECAUSE OF THE BALANCE FEE FOR THE LAWYER TO SIGN PAPERS THAT COVER UP YOUR ATM CARD WORTH MORE THAN ATM CARD WORTH $16.800,000.00 MILLION USD.
I WILL REQUEST THAT YOU GIVE ME A POWER OF ATTORNEY TO GRANTING ME AUTHORIZATION TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE OVER THERE WHO CAN PAY THE BALANCE FEE AND RECEIVE THE CARD, PLEASE WRITE TO THE ECOWAS SUPREME COURT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL REPLACE YOU AND RECEIVE THE ATM CARD.
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY THIS TIME I WILL HELP YOU AND YOU SHALL GET YOUR FUND WITHOUT WASTING MORE MONEY JUST ONLY IF YOU CAN PAY THE FEE NOW THEN YOU SHALL RECEIVE YOUR MONEy, BUT IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT THEN GIVE ME A POWER OF ATTORNEY TO GRANT ME AN AUTHORIZATION TO CANCEL OR HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TO PAY THE FEE AND RECEIVE THE CARD.
I AM WAITING FOR YOUR POWER OF ATTORNEY LETTER NOW AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WILL CONTINUE, SO YOU CAN INFORM THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE THAT THIS IS THE NEW AUTHORIZED BENEFICIARY FOR THE CHANGING OF OWNERSHIP AND HOME ADDRESS FOR DELIVERY OF ATM CARD.
MY REGARDS TO YOUR FAMILY
MR. MATHIAS ROMAN
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