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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:
- 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)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "service fee" (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. )
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "George White" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgewhite702@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2016 05:21:39 -0700
Subject: You have been compensated today my friend
How are you doing, hope all is well with you? You may not understand why this mail came to you this late, but if you do not remember me, you might have receive an email from me in the past regarding your ATM Visa Card delivery which we never concluded. I am using this opportunity to inform you that the ATM Visa Card was delivered to back to my office by the State Custom Service which is today ready for delivery with my assistance. I am ready to finalize this delivery to your home address this week once i receive your urgent reply and the custom service charge of $195usd only.
I thank you for your great efforts to our unfinished delivery of fund due to one reason or the other best known to you. I want to inform you that I have successfully packaged and register the card with the State Custom Service as $195usd only is required to fly this card back to you. Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trust worthiness you showed during the course of the transaction. I want to compensate and show you gratitude with the reduction fee of $100 which i am going to pay on your behalf as soon as i receive $95usd balance to enable me collect the delivery approval from the State Custom Service here. I have left a written note with the custom service to assure them that i will remit the official service fee of $195usd soon. My dear friend I will like you to contact me now to remit the $95usd through the name of my secretary at Western union money transfer office or Money gram close to you. She is got a private account with the money transfer agency as it will b
e easy for her to receive the fee
I have authorized my secretary to assist me receive the money on your behalf as soon as you send it with regards to the custom service delivery approval. Please I will like you to accept this $100usd token i rendered to assist you pay the $95usd balance soon with good faith as this is from the bottom of my heart. Kindly comply with my secretary by requesting her name which you are to use to send the money. Now forward me your current delivery address and phone number to avoid wrong delivery.
Yours sincerely old friend,
George White
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