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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- 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.
- oceanicbankplcon@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- benin republic. phone +229 985 10753 contact:(oceanicbankplcon@yahoo.com.hk)or this e-mail;;(oceanicbankplcon@sify.com) therefore, (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Linda Jones." <officedoc----09109@att.net>
Reply-To: oceanicbankplcon@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2011 06:15:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: CONTACT THE BANK NOW OK.
Hello My Dear.
I have contacted my secretary to confirm if you have received the
compensation draft cheque of (US$2.500.000.00) which I issued in your
name,but he told me that he could not send it to you because of some
problem and courier charges. Now I have called my bank to cancel any
payment regards to the draft cheque and then authorized them to transfer
the payment into ATM CARD in your name which they did.
As of now be informed that the delivery charges has been paid and the ATM
CARD is going to be in your name, but to reactivate the ATM Card you have
to forward your current informations as requested below to the bank and
then they will send you the ATM CARD for you immediate use.
This likely what the bank will need from you.Here are the informations you
have to forward to the bank:
1. YOUR FULL NAMES:______
2. Postal ADDRESS:_______
3. PHONE NUMBER:_________
4. CELL NUMBERS:_______
5. EMAIL ADDRESS:________
6. SEX:_____
7. AGE:_____
8. OCCUPATION:________
9. NATIONALITY:________
CONTACT PERSON: DR.ODOH MBOMA.
Director, ATM Foreign Operation Dept.
OCEANIC BANK PLC Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Phone +229 985 10753
Contact:(oceanicbankplcon@yahoo.com.hk)Or this e-mail;;(oceanicbankplcon@sify.com)
Therefore, you have to stop contacting anyboby or offices regrads the
check draft since i have authorsed the bank to issue you ATM CARD to
withdraw your funds to avoid any further problem.
Get back to me once you received the ATM CARD ok.
Thanks and God bless you.
Mrs Linda Jones.
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