|
|
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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Zuma Hamsom <zumahm2016@gmail.com>
Reply-To: hamsonzuma372@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2021 05:47:55 -0100
Subject: compliments of the season,
*compliments of the season, I Know This Message Will Come to You as a
Surprise as we have not met before and because of a lot of activities going
on in the internet today. But I assure 100% you that this is real. Please
do welcome this letter and help out as you finish reading.I am the
accountant Manager with Prime Bank here in Republic of Togo.I have the
opportunity of transferring the left over funds of US$9 million (Nine
Million,Dollar) our bank deceased customer who died on plane clash along
with his family left unclaimed fund with our bank.my proposal is that I
will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to deceased
person so that this money will not be reverted by the government.I Want
you to stand as the nearest person (next of Kin) to the deceased customer
for this claims/ release to you.Upon Your Reply. I Will Give You Details on
How the Business Will Be Executed, and I hope that you will not expose or
betray this trust and confident that I am about to repose on you for mutual
benefits of our families.I am waiting for your response,Mr.Zuma Hamson. *
|
Anti-fraud resources:
