|
|
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:
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- etuhken90@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Ken Etuh <marilynomar45@gmail.com>
Reply-To: etuhken90@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 5 May 2017 12:27:30 -0700
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP
Dear Sir,
I am Ken Etuh personal assistance to former Minister of works and housing
who serve in the last administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan I am seeking
your help in helping us to receive the sum of USD$5M which was presently
keep out of this country Nigeria for fear of being tracked by the present
government in power as the fight against corruption is ongoing.
My intention is to hand you over the money so you can lodge it to your
personal or your company bank account so as to invest it in any profitable
business of your choice till am chance to come over to meet with you also
we share it 60/40 if you agreed to help me receive this fund also I want to
assured you that this transaction is 100% risk free.
If you are interested to assist me in doing this business then you are
hereby advice to forward the below information to me so I will forward it
to the company where the money is presently keep so then will make contact
to you.
Here is the needed information from you below
1) YOUR FULL NAME:
2) YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS:
3) YOUR PROFESSION:
4) YOUR ID:
5) YOUR PHONE:
I will highly appreciate your urgent response to this mail by sending the
required details to my private email address ( etuhken90@gmail.com )
Thanks
Mr. Ken Etuh
|
Anti-fraud resources:
