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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.
- info.ecobank101@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- information. contact person: james adams email:(info.ecobank101@gmail.com or info.ecobank101@rocketmail.com) telephone: +22997629092 (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: " Mr Dan Folton" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info.ecobank102@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:10:58 -0800
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT IS READY THROUGH ONLINE BANKING.
Dear beneficiary
this is to notify you that after we met today with The President Accountant General of the Federation, Office of the Senate House,and House of Representatives we came to a conclusion that we have to pay you the sum of $4.5m as your contract Entitlement.Note, the payment will come to you via online banking and once you contact paying bank, Ecobank of Benin, you will open online banking with them for easy transfer to any bank of your choice.Below is the banking information.
Contact Person: James Adams
Email:(info.ecobank101@gmail.com OR info.ecobank101@rocketmail.com)
Telephone: +22997629092
Contact the Ecobank of Benin with full information immediately to enable them program your online banking account.
Best regards
Mr Dan Folton
Office of General
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Anti-fraud resources: