|
|
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:
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: aliazmah1@yandex.com
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:07:15 +0800
Subject: Please i need your help.
My Dear Friend,
Please i need your help, My Name is Dr.Usman Ali Haidar from Syria. I am
interested to know you and also do business with. If you can be trusted? Right
now you know there is war in my country Syria. I found you listed in the Trade
Center Chambers of Commerce directory here in Syria,I find it pleasurable to
offer you my partnership in business. I only pray at this time that your
address is still valid.
I am one of the opposing candidate elected into Parliament in May 2012 was
given a ministerial post. On 12 February 2013, I started a press brief that
the Syrian government can hold peace talk with head of Syrian opposition
captained by Moaz al Khatib.
Right now i have big problem with the president Bashar al-Assad because i told
him to stop the war in Syria and embrace peace and he is threatening to remove
me out of office and kill me. But I have some money ($18.5m) in my country
that I need some one to help me receive it if I smuggle it out from my
country. If you can help me i will give you 40% of the total sum, we can
discuss it on this media because all my telephone conversations are being
monitored by the government.I will give you more details when I hear from you.
Thank you.
Dr. Usman Ali Haidar
|
Anti-fraud resources:
