|
|
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:
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ms. Sofie olsen " <MsSofieolsen@optushome.com.au>
Reply-To: sofieolsen@webmail.hu
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2022 10:09:47 +0100
Subject: My funds
I am Ms. Sofie olsen I got your email address from a mail directory
and decided to give my permission after a prayer session to inherit my funds (US$6,700.000.00 USD) Six Million Seven hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars)being fix in a financial company for the past 49 years. It's sad and painful that I am living on this earth without a husband or children.
I originally hail from Norway before I relocated to the States. My
father passed away when I was 21 while My mother passed away in 2009. I have uncles but we are not in a good
relationship, i don't know the reason but it all started from my father and I couldn't question him
at that moment.
I am 78 years old and I worked with American Airlines and
retired as an aviation consultant.It was so shocking and sad that I contacted this deadly virus (Coronavirus disease (COVID-19 last wave) which has taken so many
lives out of this world.
I am bed ridden in a hospital where I have been undergoing
treatment. I have since lost my ability to talk and the doctor has told me that i have only a few weeks to live on this earth. So I think the best thing to do is to use someone who is trustworthy that will inherit my funds, the reason why I decided to give out my funds is to avoid being taken in by the government.I want you to utilize 70% of my funds for orphanages and widows and barren women around the world and then keep the rest.
Please reply as soon as you receive this email so i can furnish you
with details of my bank and also issue you an authorization letter that will legally empower you to
receive my funds on my behalf and manage it accordingly.
Regards
Ms. Sofie olsen
|
Anti-fraud resources:
