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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:
- "million united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Compensation Payment <eworks2017@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Compensation Payment <milliganadamj@excite.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2017 03:20:11 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Good News to you,
Dear,
This is to officially inform that your compensation payment of US$1.5 Million United State dollars has been AWARDED in your names with UN government last week and it has been forwarded to our bank Merchant Investment Bank (MIB) headquarter through the help of United Nation Organization/ Federal government of cote d'ivoire and International Monetary Fund (IMF) And instruction was given to Merchant Investment Bank (MIB) Of cote d'ivoire to Issue You ATM MASTER CARD payment of US$1.5Million and direct it to your nominated Address in your country as soon as you follow our directives in this message.
This instruction was given by United Nation Organization and Federal government of cote d'ivoire to avoid further delay, since International Monitoring FUND (I.M.F) have help us to revert all payment files pending in UN which your names is among the list.Therefore, for further more information's about your award payment file has been revert in your names. kindly contact Merchant Investment Bank head office with below Information's so that we can issue you an ATM MASTER CARD to you without any hitch as the bank telex instruction has already been sent to our bank(MIB). NOTE: You will withdraw Hundred thousand dollars per day once you received your ATM card from any ATM machine that has Visa Card Logo on it worldwide.
Reconfirm your Personal information's for the delivery of your ATM MASTER CARD See below Info.
You're name:_______
Cell Phone no:_______
Home phone no:_______
Address:_______
Occupation:________
Once you reconfirmed the above information's we will contact the shipping companies to deliver Your ATM MASTER CARD to your home address.
Yours in service.
Mr.Craig Lukas.
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Anti-fraud resources: