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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "International Monetary Fund" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <imfth@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 21 May 2019 13:15:07 -0700
Subject: Your Funds.....$3,000,000.00!
Greetings to you.
This is to inform you that the International Monetary Fund [IMF] and the United Nations [UN] is compensating all the scammed victims with $3,000,000.00 United States Dollars.
Your name and email address was mentioned to the United States Secret Service by one of the Scammers who was arrested.
Meanwhile this Compensation department has been mandated by the IMF and the United Nations to transfer your compensation funds to you through Online Transfer Payment which is 100 % guaranteed.
Furthermore we advise you to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s) concerning any transaction that you might have lost your hard earned money to avoid losing more money to other group of scammers who are on the FBI wanted list and are still on the run and for this reason we want to warn you not to communicate or duplicate this message to anyone for any reason whatsoever as the United States Secret Service are already on the trace for the other criminals.
You are hereby advised to contact the IMF/UNCC head office to receive your Compensation without further delay.
Anticipating your urgent cooperation in other to receive your payment.
Thank You.
Mr. Andrew Davis
Communication Secretary,
International Monetary Fund.
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Anti-fraud resources: