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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:
- 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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "moneygram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- gtbprivateprivate@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Abisilah Odede" <info@lee.com>
Reply-To: gtbprivateprivate@gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2018 13:25:04 -0700
Subject: FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.
RUE 2067 OKOTA VILLA NIGERIAN
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIAN .
RE-IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF 3.8M
My name is Mrs. Abisilah Odede the secretary to the Federal Ministry
of Finance Republic of Nigerian west Africa to be precise, I hereby
to bring to your notice about your
immediate payments of $3.8m.your funds $3.8m has being deposited to
the Guarantee Trust Bank Plc (GTB) and this deposit was made
officially by our seating president Alhaji.
Mohamed Buhari with this deposit certificate number,200089748 and he
order the said bank to transfer the funds to your account as soon as
you contact them.
During his campaign for his second term in the office of the president
then he received a lot of complaint from the international community
and united nations as well that a lot
of scams has being going on in this country and with this reason he
vow that if he assume the office for the second term as president then
he is going to deal with the issue
of the scammers and pay the people that were involves on it in the
pass And your name was found on the list that was submitted to our
office recently that your yet to be paid.
And through the legal information arrives to us here that most of the
scammers are using western union and MoneyGram for the scamming
activities, telling the innocent people
that western union will pay them such big amount of money. We want to
let you know today that western union has no right to handle such
payments so stop wasting your time with
them.
Your funds $3.8m can only be transfer to your Account online by
Guarantee Trust Bank Plc the appointed bank by the federal government
to transfer your funds directly to your
account once you contact them with all your bank details.
The funds were available at the bank now and the bank Manager
Mr.Abbey Billy has being waiting for you to contact them today for
your payments.
So contact the Guarantee Trust Bank Immediately you receive this email
message and you can also call the Manager on phone and ask him to
transfer your funds into your provided
account.
This is the Contact E-mail Address of the GUARANTEE TRUST BANK Manager
In charge of your payment
Contact E-mail..(gtbprivateprivate@gmail.com)
Contact Person Mr.Abbey Billy Manager
Telephone +2348123275998
Please Do not forget to contact the Guarantee Trust Bank Plc with all
your bank details such as follows
1. Full Name And Address ......
2. Your Bank Account Number..
3.Swift Code Number..
4. The Bank Name ...........
5. The address of your bank....
Note that the funds were deposited with the Insurance bond and this is
the insurance certificate number, 0529, So feel free to contact the
directed Bank Immediately ,The
Guarantee Trust Bank May request the fee of $125.00 from you which
will serve as the NON- RESIDENT FEE as you donât have an account with
them according to the Bank Manager. And
the $125.00 was the only fee needed on this transaction and as you are
contacting them today then ask them where you can send the $125.00 to
them to get your funds transferred
to your account online immediately.
Do let me know immediately you receive the funds. God bless you as I
wait to hear from you soon.
Your Faithfully
Mrs.Abisilah Odede
From Federal Ministry of Finance.
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