|
|
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:
- 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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Benita A. Sogolo" <benfamily99@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: mrsbsogolo@outlook.com
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2017 11:05:18 +0100
Subject: Good morning my dear.
--
Good morning my dear.
I am glad to know you, but God knows you better and he knows why he directed me to you at this point in time so do not be afraid. I am writing this mail to you with heavy sorrow in my heart, My Name is Mrs. Benita A. Sogolo I want to tell you this because I don’t have any other option than to contact you after going through your profile as i was touched to open up to you. I am married to Mr. Bernard R. Sogolo who worked with Benin Embassy in Burundi for nine years before he died in 2004.
We married for 14yrs without a child before my husband died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days.
Since his death I decided not to marry again, when my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$ 17.2m (Seventeen Million Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in a bank in Africa; presently this money is still in bank.
He made the money available for exportation of Gold from Congo mining before he was late. Recently my doctor told me that I would not last for the period of seven months due to cancer problem. Whoever that wants to serve God must serve him in spirit and truth because he is our Almighty God.
The particular problem that disturbs me most is my cancer sickness. Having known my condition I decided to hand the funds over to you for the fulfillment of my late husband for humanitarian work to help the needy.
You will utilize the money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want you to take 39% of the total funds for your assistance while 60% will go to charity organization in the society for helping the less privilege while 1% is for expenses if there will be upon the processing of transferring the funds into your bank account.
I don't have any one that will inherit the funds and my husband relatives are not good, not even good at all because they are responsible for the death of my late husband in other to have all my late husband properties. I don't want my husband's efforts to be used by those that implicated for his death. I am doing this to see that our God’s name is maintained.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank to contact them for the release of the funds to you as my appointed beneficiary. The release of these funds will only last for 7 banking working days to transfer the funds to your account.
Yours Faithfully.
Mrs. Benita A. Sogolo.
---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
|
Anti-fraud resources:
