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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:
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- +2348055513452 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- cbn_nigplc01@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: CENTRAL BANK <cbn_nigplc01@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 01:27:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: THIS OFFICE WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT SOMEONE FROM JAPAN WANT TO CLAIM YOUR FUND
Foreign Remittance Department
Central Bank Of Nigeria(CBN)
Lagos Nigeria
Tel./Fax: 234-805-5513452
Email (cbn_nigplc01@yahoo.com)
ATTN:- VICTIMNAME,
THIS OFFICE WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT SOMEONE FROM JAPAN WANT TO CLAIM YOUR FUND IN THIS OFFICE, DO YOU SEND ANY BODY TO COME AND CLAIM YOUR INHERITANCE FUND? DELAY MAY CAUSE YOU MORE DANGERIOUS.
CONTACT THIS OFFICE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT OR YOU LOSE YOUR FUND.
REGARDS,
CHIEF MRS. S.O. OMOTAYO.
__________________________________________________
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