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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- infocontact204@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "U.S. Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infocontact204@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 00:53:43 +0100
Subject: Attn: Beneficiary
The U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Annex 290 Broadway
Office of Foreign Assets Control
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Annex 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500.
Our Ref: USA/TREAS/898ATCP
Your ref: USA/IMF/7890/121
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT RESOLUTION PANEL ON WITHHELD PAYMENTS
Attn: Beneficiary
After reviewing our online email communication messages on your unsuccessful transactions with most European and other foreign banks
in Africa, we wish to let you know that we have communicated with most of these foreign banks that withheld most international payments to individual accounts so as to find out why these funds were withheld and the source of the funds,
Your funds have incurred interest valued $3.5m have been approved by this office as it is our agreement with this bank that this interest must be paid to you to enable you apply for your total payment.
FORWARD TO US THE BELOW INFORMATION;
1. Your Full Name, Nationality & Current Location.
2. Your Age & Current Occupation.
3. Your Cell Phone & Fax Number.
4. Your ID Number (or Attach Identification Documents).
Regards,
Mr Anderson Clark
Foreign Assets Control.
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Contact Email:infocontact204@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources: