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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:
- "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Abubakar Omar <tobiabucher@teletu.it>
Reply-To: Abubakar Omar <omarabuk@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2018 18:47:05 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear
Dear
I am Abubakar Omar and i made a very good research
before contacting you on this confidential issue.
I am the account officer of the late Mr. Salleh Saiful
and since his death in 2010,all attempt by me to contact his relatives
as mentioned in his secret file in my office have failed.
The bank external auditors want to close this account because they claim
it has not been in function for over 7 years so they want to tag the fund
as non accountable fund then am sure they will share the money between them.
I am against this idea because i will loose my percentage share of the fund
as the personal account officer of the late Mr. Salleh Saiful if i do not present
anyone related to him for the release and transfer of the fund.
After i saw your profile on the linkedin business yellow pages, i then made
up my mind to contact you for your assistance since you have the same surname
with the late Mr. Salleh Saiful.
I want to present you before our bank accountant as the relative and beneficiary
of the $12.5 million belonging to the late Mr. Salleh Saiful in our bank deposit.
I assure you that every detail concerning this deal between you and me will be kept
very confidential and i also hope that you will assure me that the fund will be safe
until i come to meet you in your country for my share of the fund.
I propose an equal percentage share with you .
I wait for your urgent reply .
Abubakar Omar
Ac claims officer
UBA investment Bank
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