|
|
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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Good" <kellygood3061@att.net>
Reply-To: <phc.gha@cantv.net>
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:13:10 +1000
Subject: PAYMENT INSTRUCTION
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR,
BANK OF GHANA
ACCRA
REPUBLIC OF GHANA.
SIR;
Be informed that we have on 22nd day of March, 2011 received a payment instruction from the Government of Ghana to credit your account with your full contract/inheritance funds from the Millennium Challenge Account with our bank.
You are advised to send your personal details and bank account for the transfer of Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States of America Dollars which represents the total amount due to you on contract/inheritance Ref #: PHC/WAMU/BJN/ZZ057.
I thank you for your earliest response.
Cordially yours,
Dr. Raymond Dickson (0PSS)
BANK OF GHANA
|
Anti-fraud resources:
