|
|
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:
- "is highly confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Donald James" <lofoyila@gmail.com>
Reply-To: jamesdonalda774@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2022 09:58:35 -0700
Subject: Attention Investment Proposal
--
Greetings to you and your family.
I am James Donald,Director of Foreign exchange/remittance department
of A bank here. I am writing to seek your cooperation over a
classified business deal that involve more than US$37 million and 60
kilograms of alluvial gold nuggets.
I am soliciting for your immediate help to act for me as beneficiary
of this fund.you are to provide a foreign account that is capable to
receive this fund in your country for further investment in your
country. I am ready to offer you 20 % of the total sum, while 10 %
will be set aside for expenses incurred during the bank to bank fund
transfer via MT103. 50% would be for serious investment in your
country that you shall recommend and be incharge of this investment.
After the completion of the fund transfer, i shall need your help to
secure a visa to enble me come over to your country for disbursement
according to the percentages indicated.
This transaction is 100% guarantee risk free. this is not scam pls..
it is a transaction strictly confidential and classified.
I need your urgent response as soon as you receive this message
positive or negative.I shall then send to you details of this
investment deal
Your faithfully,
James Donald
N:B
The above deal is highly confidential and you must treat as same, this
information must not go out from you to anyone until the deal is
achieved.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
