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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- amina_ibrahim44@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Dr Mrs Amina Zaid Ibrahim. <amina_ibrahim44@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:10:54 -0400
Subject: urgent assistance
Good Day Sir,
I am Amina Zaid Ibrahim, I am contacting you in respect of my late husband's fund worth US$4.5Million deposited in fixed deposit account in a local bank here in Malaysia.Though he died as a result of a heart-related condition on the 13th March 2005.
As a result of this,the bank has contacted me with a notice that the account will be confiscated and the fund will be transfered to the Country's Treasury if it is not claimed.I have already developed a full proof, legal and totally risk free means through which the fund can be released within a very short period of time after due documentation and authentication process. The strategy is to use my position and influence as the wife of the deceased to present you as the beneficiary of the deposit so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.
I want a situation where by you assist me to make the claim of this fund from the bank so that it will be delivered to your custody . I will be offering you 40% of the fund for your foreign assistance as long as you can help me out in carrying out this project effectively without insinuating greed and selfishness.I can send you the bank statement slip dated last week to prove the said amount exist and a copy of my international passport to prove my genueinty. I am contacting you in this respect for the below purposes.
(1)My financial incapability of making the claim at the moment.
(2)To avoid awareness of my late husband's relatives because they would like to inherit it alone if i dare disclose it to them due to my inability to give him the deceased a child.
(3)To avoid awareness of Malaysian Government about the fund.
Please indicate your interest at one via my private email address at amina_ibrahim44@yahoo.com
Yours sincerely
Dr Mrs Amina Zaid Ibrahim.
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