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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:
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million british pounds" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447014236668 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- mr.andrewb@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "ANDREW" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.andrewb@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:15:54 +0530
Subject: AWAITS YOUR REPLY
Dear Friend,
I am Mr. Andrew Bailey, The Auditor of the Lloyds Bank TSB of London, England. On the Month of January 2009 last year, My Bank committee on Inheritance settlement approved and disbursed over One hundred million British Pounds ATM cards to foreign Heirs of Late depositors funds in my Bank all over United Kingdom.
This payment to beneficiaries were successful and payment done legitimately through last year to this present day of year 2010.This shows that beneficiaries whose relations died and left over monies in their accounts in our Bank has been paid. But there is still a single remaining unclaimed ATM card worth of One million five hundred thousand British Pounds sterling outstanding in my bank office files never claimed. I have checked all files and investigated this payment and found that nobody is coming to claim this remaining ATM Card worth One million five hundred thousand British pounds.
All our investigation to get to the relations of this ATM card payment is not fruitful and if this ATM card is unclaimed before end of August 2010, my Bank will revert the ATM Card to the UK Government revenue Account. I am contacting you to cooperate with me as a foreigner to claim this ATM card now from my Bank.
I will replace your name as the Heir of the Money and file for payment approval of One million five hundred thousand British pounds. My Bank will release this payment to you as soon as I provide them with your informations myself. Your share is 40% while I have 60% as my share of the money. Pleases dont disclose this transaction to a third party for security reasons.
I await your response.
You can send me email via mr.andrewb@yahoo.com
Best Regards,
Mr. Andrew Bailey
+44 701 423 6668
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