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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:
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "alanmartins@super.lt" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
- +447031998777 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Shari Arison" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alanmartins@super.lt>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:52:36 -0600
Subject: Financial Grant of 500,000 Pound Sterling
It is my pleasure to send you this mail and I pray it meets in you good health. I am Shari Arison and I happened to be one of Israel's richest women and the controlling shareholder of the country's second-largest bank. You can read little about me from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shari_Arison
I decided to send you this mail as part of my benevolence attitude especially this time of Economic Crisis round the globe. I have blessed orphanage homes with foods, gift items and financial assistance within my reach and I have also given out monetary assistance to people and you are one of the lucky ones to be blessed this year.
I have an account worth 500,000 Pound Sterling with a Bank in United Kingdom and I have given an instruction to ensure the money should be paid to you. My Personal Assistance in London, the person of Alan Martins will be available to assist you with necessary procedures and how to contact the Bank. His contact details are below;
Alan Martins
Email: alanmartins@super.lt
Tel: +447031998777
The bank will request for this code (SHARI/934/ACCT09) for security purpose and you are advice keep this very confidential. You will not be able to reach me through this email for security reasons but further correspondence will always be made available to you through Mr. Alan. I wish you all the best and I pray your will put this money into a better use and also assist the less privileged around you.
Remain Blessed now and forever.
Shari Arison
Bank Hapoalim
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