|
|
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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Shanna Vamez <vposten_10@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2015 00:09:52 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I need to invest funds in South African real estates
Sir/Madam,
I wish to seek for an investment advice from you. I am interested in investing important amount of funds in tourism industry and also into real estate development in your country.
I strongly believe that you will not betray my trust which i am going to lay on you and i hope that this investment project i wish to execute in your country will be treated with urgency.
I am Ms.Shanna Vamez, i am 20yrs old. My late father was a business magnate and also an investor. He was also into gold mining and timber export. He and my late mother was murdered in their bed in November 2010 during the post electoral crisis in my country, they were stabbed forty times and had their throats slashed by an unknown individuals.
Before his death he had deposited in a dormant account in a Financial Institution in Accra ,Ghana a sum of $15.5m {Fifteen million five hundred thousand United States dollars) this Financial Institution also has its corresponding private Security company in Europe. He left this funds with a specific instruction that it should be held back until i am 25 years old.
I need your assistance for the immediate transfer of this funds from this Financial Institution to an account in your country. You will act as the co-beneficiary of this funds so as to facilitate its transfer and your compensation will be 10% after it is successfully transferred.
Thanks
|
Anti-fraud resources:
