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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: desirdtun@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2019 15:42:27 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Hello Dear
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Tunkara Desire Joseph, the Audit and Account Manager (B.O.A) Bank in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso, West Africa.
I got your email contact from computerized data via the internet. I prayed and fasted fervently before i decided to contact you with the hope you will not betray the trust, hopes and confidence which i will bestow in you.
I have a business transaction for you.
In my department i discovered an abandoned Sum of US$10.5 Million Dollars. In an account that belongs to one of our late foreign customer who died on Air crash with his family member. Ever since he died nobody has come forward to claim the left overbalance in the account.
It is therefore upon this discovery that I decided to seek your assistance to present you as his business associate for my bank to transfer the funds to your account.
If you accept i would give you the guide lines of how we can achieve this transfer of the balance $10.5 Million Dollars to your account.
The fund will be shared on 50-50%.basis by both of us.
Please try to get back to me so that we will proceed with the process of the transfer of the fund into any of your designated account.
I am looking forward to read from you soon.
Thank You While I Wait for Your Response.
Mr. Desire Joseph
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Anti-fraud resources: