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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 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.
- mrssarahwilliam.m@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs . Sarah William" <mrpaulmmadi089@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:32:35 +0000
Subject: Greetings
Good day.
With warm heart I offer my friendship and my greetings
I am sincerely seeking your confidence in this matter which I propose with my free mind and as a woman of integrity. My name is Mrs. Sarah William, Im from Burkina Faso. I am terminally ill and have decided to donate the inheritance I got from my late husband to you for a charity project in your country, my late husband was from the UK, when my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$7.5Million in my bank account. I have been diagnosed with acute cancer for about 2 years now. From all indications my condition is really deteriorating and my doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live all that long; this is because the cancer has reached a critical stage. I shall be undergoing major operations in less than two weeks from now. If you are sure that you will use this fund as I have advised here then kindly get back to me for more details.
Please reply me here: mrssarahwilliam.m@yahoo.com
Thanks and kind regards.
Mrs. Sarah William
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Anti-fraud resources: