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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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- m.akintomi@yahoo.gr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: =?utf-8?Q?Usuario_administrativo_da_TI?=
<admin@novaiguacu.unimed.com.br>
Reply-To: m.akintomi@yahoo.gr
Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 01:42:38 -0300
Subject: Re: From Mr. Shegun Akintomi
Hello beneficiary,
READ VERY CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE GIVEN DIRECTIVES
I write on behalf of my bank to update you with the latest news about your inheritance/winnings/compensation funds. It was mandated by Mr. president(GEJ) that all the unclaimed/pending foreign funds should be redirected to the federal government treasurer account if the owners are not ready for the claim. So i will be forced to submit your payment file to the office of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU)for immediate cancellation if you do not meet the demand to receive your funds.
More over, it is interesting to know that your total funds were credited into an ATM credit card that will enable you to make a withdraw in any ATM machine in your country in your name so what you should do now is to reconfirm your current home address, phone number, your current id card and nearest international airport to me. This will enable me to make a solid arrangement with TNT Global Express to deliver the card within 24 hours to you if you can meet their demands.
You are warned not to delay this time to avoid loosing your funds to government. I will ensure you receive your funds without any delay if you can trust me and follow my instructions. Get back to me now because you were given only one week ultimatum to claim your long waiting funds by the office of presidency here, otherwise you will loose the funds to federal government of this country.
yours in service,
Mr. Shegun Akintomi
Director Skye bank plc. Ng.
Tel: +2348035154613
E-mail: m.akintomi@yahoo.gr
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