|
|
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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: REV BONI GEORGE <filedept10@gmail.com>
Reply-To: REV BONI GEORGE <banquecentraleb@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2015 10:34:44 +0900 (JST)
Subject: FINAL RELEASE OF YOUR ATM MASTER CARD!!!
ATTENTION MY DEAR:
With the respect to the provisions in Section 17 of decree 114 of the 2007 constitution, I hereby inform you that your payment verification and confirmations is "OK". Therefore, we are happy to inform you that arrangements has been perfectly concluded to effect your payment as soon as possible in our bid to be transparent inline with programmed of the present administration.
Your contract/inheritance payment has been approved conclusively outlined and agreement was made between the government of Federal Republic of Benin and the Ambassador of your country to Benin.
How ever, it is the pleasure of this office to inform you that an ATM Master Card Number; 5301 2364 5120 6002 has been approved and upgraded in your favor. The ATM Card Value is US$4.8Million Only and we are duly inter-switched for you to make withdrawal in any location of ATM Master card machine nearest to you.
You are as matter of urgency requested to come down to our office to sign off and collect your ATM Master card .Alternatively I will register your master card to be shipped to you through our officially approved private courier service.
Reply with your bellow information if you are not able to come down here!
Full Name:
Full Address:
Country:
Zip Code:
Direct Phone:
Occupation:
Your coming down here in person will be preferable to us to facilitate our bid to be transparent and to ascertain that your ATM master card is signed off directly by you to avoid payment to a wrong person hence it is involved a large sum of money. Please inform us urgently of your choice option to fasten the release of this card to you as we have a short period to complete this payment quarter.
Be informed that your fund will be paid install mentally on daily withrawal of us$30,000.00 every day, The ATM CARD is in our regards to reform Federal Republic of Benin from corruption,Treat as very urgent as we also remind you once again that your ATM Master Card is ready to be used by you.
Regards.
Rev.Boni George
Director ATM Department.
United Bank For Africa
Direct Line:00229 951 327 84
|
Anti-fraud resources:
