|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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:
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: michaelonuma <michaelonuma50@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: michaelonuma1@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2010 09:26:03 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Confidential Massage!!.
FROM DESK OF: MR. MICHAEL ONUMA.
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANAGER.
Hello Dear.
My name is Mr. Michael Onuma. I work with one of the Cote D'Ivoire bank as an accountant foreign operation department. In the discharge of my duty, I stumbled on this domiciliary account that has remained dormant for years now with Nine Million Dollars ($9m) in it. I contacted my director and we sent out staff for enquiries and discovered that the account holder was died along with his supposed next of kin in an air crash. I don't want the money to go into government treasury as an abandoned fund.
I am writing you so that we can work with you to remit this money into your account as the next of kin. It is simple process which will take a short while to process Outside this within 10 or 14 banking days. Please I would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete it if you are not interested. Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you full details on how the business will be executed and also note that we will share 50 50 of the above mentioned sum while earmarked 5% for expenses if you agree to handle this business with me. I am expecting your urgent response as soon as you receive my message.
Thanks for your co-operation.
BEST REGARD.
MR.MICHAEL ONUMA.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
