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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: missjulien kowan <missjulienkowan@hotmail.fr>
Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2017 09:44:22 +0000
Subject: My dear,
My dear,
My name is Miss Julien Guei, I got your contact through YOUR COUNTRYS BUSINESS DIRECTORY on my desperate search for an honest person to assist me to transfer the fund I inherited from my late father ($7.5million) then I decided to contact you. I don't have any idea of business and that is why I am contacting you to assist me to transfer this fund to your bank account and help me to invest the fund in a very good business venture of your choice which will yield profit for both of us.
Thanks and I will await for your urgent reply.
Yours truly,
Miss Julien Guei
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Anti-fraud resources: