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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!)
- 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.
- +447031949632 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- advancedfinancier@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Advanced Financial Loan Firm" <info@loan.com>
Reply-To: advancedfinancier@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 12:06:39 -0300 (CLST)
Subject: Loan at low interest rate! ! !
Advanced Finance®
website: www.advanced-finance.co.uk
email: advancedfinancier@yahoo.com.hk
Tel:+44-703-194-9632.
Dear Applicant,
Compliment of the day to you from my end. How are you doing today? Hope
all is well with you and your family? I am still yet to receive any
e-mail from you in regards to your loan which you requested from my
company. I will want you to get back to me and let me know if you are
still interested in this loan, because all necessary arrangement in
regards to the transfer of your loan have been made, all we need from you
as a legitimate borrower is your co-operation, so i will advise you to
get back to us, so that we can get this loan transaction finalized.
Fill out the Applicant details below:
Full Name:_______________________
Contact Address:_________________
Phone:___________________________
Amount Needed as Loan:___________
Loan Duration:___________________
Annual Income:___________________
Occupation:______________________
Thanks for your kind understanding and God Bless
James Charton
www.advanced-finance.co.uk
Advanced Finance®
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Anti-fraud resources:
