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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:
- "your loan " (Beware of fake loan offers. Real lenders would not normally use free webmail addresses such as Yahoo, nor would they lend to individuals or small businesses in a different country from where they are based. Beware of mobile phones or redirector numbers!)
- "transloan.finance@gmail.com" (This email address looks like addresses used in fake loan scams. Be suspicious of any lender who uses a free webmail address or who is based in different country from yourself.)
- 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.
- transloan.finance@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Trans-Union Finance Investment" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <transloan.finance@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:51:57 +0200
Subject: INTERESTING OFFER!!!
Desk of Kim Neumann Todd,
Jan. 22nd, 2010.
LOAN OFFER!
Are you a business man or woman? Are you in any financial mess or do you need funds to start up your own business? Do you need a student loan? Do you need loan to settle your debt or pay off your bills or start a nice business? Do you have a low credit score and you are finding it hard to obtain capital loan from local banks/other financial institutes?
WE OFFER LOANS WITH 3% PERCENT INTEREST RATE. Our company is Continental Finance Investment and we do not require many documents. We offer a loan within the range of a minimum amount of $2,000.00 US Dollars to Maximum of $2.Million. We deliver loan to our applicant within 24 hours of receiving your application form. Indicate your interest via e-mail for your loan process.
Thanks.
LOAN OFFICER/SON TO CEO
MR FRANCIS DOUCET
( transloan.finance@gmail.com )
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Anti-fraud resources:
