|
|
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:
- 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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
- 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.
- deptf7876@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "International Monetary Fund" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mranthonysmith85@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2022 06:00:02 -0700
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION
Greetings to you,
This is to inform you that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nations (UN) is paying all the scammed victims $250,000,000.00 United States Dollars.
Your name and email address was mentioned to the United States Secret Service by one of the Scammers who was arrested. Meanwhile the finance department has been mandated by the IMF and the United Nations to release your funds to you with 100 % Guarantee as one of the scammed victims.
Furthermore we advise you to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s) concerning any transaction that you might have lost your hard earned money to avoid losing more money to other group of scammers who are on the FBI wanted list and are still on the run and for this reason we want to warn you not to communicate or duplicate this message to anyone for any reason whatsoever as the United States Secret Service are already on the trace for the other criminals.
You are hereby advised to contact the IMF Finance Department for the payment of your funds without further delay on this email address: deptf7876@gmail.com
Anticipating your urgent cooperation in order to receive your funds.
Thank You.
Anthony Smith
African Department
International Monetary Fund
|
Anti-fraud resources: