|
|
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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "foreign payment department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- atmmasterc17@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Atm Master Card" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <atmmasterc17@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2015 08:55:48 -0700
Subject: Your Atm Master Card
Deputy governor
Central Bank of Nigeria
Marina- Lagos
Nigeria.
Ref: CBN/FPD/0001576/14
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is a reminder message regarding your ATM master card for your compensation fund in the sum of US$1.250,000.0(ONE MILLION Two hundred and fifty thousand US dollars only) approved by the Ministry of Finance. The Foreign Payment Department of CBN has been mandated by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to handle the payment of your compensation fund of the above amount by ATM card. Your email contact is among the listed beneficiaries in the data for the sum of US$1.250,000.00. And I have been assigned by the management of CBN to carry out delivery of the ATM card package to you. This compensation is in compliance with IMF and World bank directives to pacify victims of internet scam.On this note,I am pleased to inform you that ATM card Number 4539 7978 0214 3027 for the sum of US$1.250,000.00 has been credited in.your favor and ready for immediate delivery to you. You are hereby required to confirm your telephone number and present address were you want the ATM ca
easy use. Email Address (atmmasterc17@gmail.com)
So the Information you are required to reconfirm to the ATM OFFICE is as Follow.
(1)Your Full Name=============
(2)Mobile Phone Number======
(3)Current Home Address========
(4)Fax Number================
(5)Country====================
(6)City======================
()7your address====================
(8)A Copy of Your ID For Identification.
Further instruction/directive will be sent to you on receiptof your acknowledgment to this message.
Best Regards
Dr. Kingsley Moghalu
Office of the deputy Governor
CBN, Nigeria
|
Anti-fraud resources:
