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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:
- 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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- janetsamson93@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. janet samson." <test@csci.cn>
Reply-To: <janetsamson93@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2016 11:30:56 -0400
Subject: JOB OFFER
TAIWAN TAFFETA FABRIC CO.LTD
102 London Rd
Barking, Greater London IG11 8, UK
Tel : 020 7247 6802 (11 lines)
Fax : 020 7287 6834
E-mail : janetsamson93@hotmail.com
Attn: Prospective Candidate!!!
We are glad to offer you a job position with our
company.We need someone to work for the company as a
Representative/Book keeper in the USA. This is in view of our not
having an office presently in the USA. Your tasks are:
1.Recieve payment from Customers via courier services.
2. Cash Payments at your Bank upon our instructions.
3. Deduct 10% which will be your commission/pay on each Payment processed.
4. Forward balance after deduction of commission/pay to any of the
offices you will be contacted to send payment to.(Payment is to be
forwarded either by Money Gram or Western Union Money Transfer Preferably).
If you are interested, Kindly send to me the listed information below
YOUR JOB position number # TM/FTI/T29/543/2015
FIRST NAME :______________________________________
LAST NAME :______________________________________
ADDRESS :______________________________________
CITY :______________________________________
STATE :______________________________________
ZIP CODE :______________________________________
COUNTRY :______________________________________
HOME OR WORK PHONE NUMBER (S) :______________________________________
GENDER :______________________________________
AGE :______________________________________
MARITAL STATUS ::______________________________________
BANK NAME :______________________________________
HAVE YOU DONE THIS BEFORE?
SCANNED COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LICENSE
ATTESTATION
According to how you have been briefed earlier by a qualified representative of this establishment. You are required and mandated to receive payment on behalf of the above mentioned firm. You are to deduct 10% of all funds processed on a particular order and forward the balance payment via Western Union Money Transfer and MONEY GRAM to any of "TAIWAN TAFFETA FABRIC" Group regional warehouses that will be given to you later. You will notify the company a week ahead if eventually you want to
discontinue this job so as to terminate all payment coming your way to avoid conflict.
Thanks,
Payment Officer
Email : janetsamson93@hotmail.com
MRS JANET SAMSON
www.ttfco.com
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