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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "is highly 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)
- "god-fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "SHAMIM ALAVI." <shamim_alavi@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: shamimalavi28@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 03:37:53 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: FROM SHAMIM ALAVI TREAT URGENT
ATTN:
IT IS A PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU A BUSINESS THAT WILL MAKE THE
BEGINNING OF NEVER-ENDING FAMILY RELATIONSHIP AND I HOPE THIS PROPOSAL
WILL NOT BE AN INCONVENIENCE OR EMBARRASSMENT TO YOU.
I AM SHAMIM THE ONLY SON OF LATE DR MOHAMED ALAVI WHO WAS A FAMOUS COCOA
MERCHANT. MY LATE FATHER OPERATED HIS COCOA BUSINESS IN DURKAN-SUDAN UNDER
PARTNERSHIP BUT UNFORTUNATELY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES POISONED HIM IN
ORDER TO CLAIM HIS WEALTH IN A COCKTAIL PARTY HELD IN HIS HONOR AS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY.WHEN HE WAS POISONED,HE WAS RUSHED TO THE
HOSPITAL.
IT WAS IN THE HOSPITAL THAT HE SECRETLY DISCLOSED TO ME THE CAUSE OF THE
SICKNESS AND ALSO THAT HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF $9 M( NINE MILLION DOLLARS
ONLY) IN A SUSPENSE VOLT TO A A SECURITY COMPANY IN ACCRA-GHANA AND THAT I
WAS MADE THE NEXT OF KIN TO INHERIT THE MONEY IN HIS RECORD/FILE.
HE THEREFORE ADVISED ME TO LOOK FOR A RELIABLE,TRUST WORTHY AND
GOD-FEARING PERSON WHO WILL ASSIST ME TO TRANSFER THIS FUNDS ABROAD
STRICTLY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES.THIS IS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT HIS
ASSOCIATES TO RAISE AN EYEBROW ON HIS FUND.HE ALSO ADVISED ME TO AVOID HIS
ASSOCIATES WHO WILL BE RUNNING AFTER MY DEAR LIFE,HE FINALLY DIED IN THE
HOSPITAL AFTER TWO DAYS OF ADMISSION.
I AM SOLICITING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE $9.M INTO YOUR COUNTRY
FOR AN INVESTMENT PURPOSES OVER THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY.I HOPE TO TRAVEL
WITH YOU TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUNDS.THE
CONTACT OF THE SECURITY COMPANY WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU SHOW
YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO ME.YOU CAN NOW INSTRUCT THEM ON WHERE AND
HOW THE BOXES WILL BE RELEASE AND SHIP TO YOU.
I AM OFFERING YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM OF $9.000.000 AS COMMISSION FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE TO THE TRANSFER OF THIS BOXES INTO YOUR COUNTRY.MAY I
STRONGLY RE-EMPHASIZE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HIGHLY
CONFIDENTIAL,HITCHFREE AND THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED WITHIN 10
DAYS ACCORDING TO YOUR EFFORTS.
THANKS FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION.PLEASE CALL ME AT
+233-242-366-911 FOR MORE DETAILS.
YOURS SINCERELY,
SHAMIM ALAVI.
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