|
|
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:
- "here in london united kingdom" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Bankoni Albijani <bankonialbijani@lawfirm.co.uk>
Reply-To: bankonialbijani@nshut.com
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2020 02:52:39 -0800
Subject: Confidential Business Proposal
I am Bankoni Albijani, a lawyer here in London United Kingdom.
I am fully in financial law and family matters in the last twenty years and i have cut across a lot of confidential and company matters and financial issues.
BUSINESS: I have a good relationship with top bankers in the hsbc bank here in London, and i have been mandated to look for a trusted person outside of the United Kingdom who will help facilitate the swift transfer of funds left behind in the archives here in the bank in the last five years without any one coming forward to claim the funds. My close confidants in the bank have instructed me to arrange for the immediate transfer of US$13.800.000.00 (Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) to a foreign beneficiary who will act as the original owner of the funds.
This precipitated me to contact you based on a very high recommendation about your person and personality, believing that funds will be safe when transferred to your account.
Details of the sharing ration will be discussed as soon you respond to enable me open further the transaction to you.
Be rest assured that all modalities have been taken care of and you do not have to entertain any fear in this regards as there will be no problems in the transaction.
Feel very free to contact me on my email as stated above.
Have a great day and i wait to hear from you.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
