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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.
- 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.
- philomenefrancoise@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: As1025 <am1025@cptelnet.com>
Reply-To: mrsmariamlopez@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 00:33:11 -0800 (PST)
Subject: This is Mrs. Mariam Lopez from Namibia
Dear Sir.
This is Mrs. Mariam Lopez from Namibia but presently in France for
operation. I have a donation to make which I will need your assistance to carry
it out for me, I will be 62 years old this coming August 17, a widow and a
servant of the Lord for the past 38 years in Ivory Coast.
I inherited
some money ($18. 121, 000) from my late husband Mr J.hugo Lopez; I want to give
it out to Orphanage and Charity Organisations as a vow which I made before the
Lord.
I have a lung and breast cancer and will be having operation next two
weeks, though the doctors already confirmed I only have some months to live
but I am happy and glad that the Lord has kept me safe and guided me to
accomplish my mission on earth. I will be happy to meet Him where He wants me to
be.
I want you to contact this nurse Miss Françoise Philomene; I have
given her the documents of the money and have directed her to a lawyer that will
assist you to change the documents of the money to your name to enable the bank
transfer the money to you.
Miss Françoise Philomene
Email: philomenefrancoise@yahoo.co.jp
She will give you the documents of the money and will direct you to
the lawyer I have appointed to her; the lawyer will assist you to change the
documents of the money to your name for the bank totransfer the money to
you.
This is the favour I need when you have gotten the money:-
(1)
Give 10% of the money to Miss Françoise Philomene as a promise Imade to
her.
(2) Give 50% of the money to Charity organizations, orphanage homesand
Churches on my name so that my soul may rest in peace.
The remaining 40%
should be for you and others that you would loveto assist.
And if I don't
hear from you within few days, I will look foranother person.
May God bless
you and use you to accomplish my wish.
Pray for me always.
Mrs. Mariam
Lopez.
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