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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- vollendamarnold@safe-mail.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Vollendam Arnold" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vollendamarnold@Safe-mail.net>
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:05:53 +0200
Subject: Re:Tagged Urgent
Greetings,
I am Vollendam Arnold,Working with one of the leading BANKS.
I want to inquire from you if you can handle this transaction for our mutual benefits/life opportunity for you and me. The transaction is about seeking your consent to present you as the next of kin/ beneficiary to our late customer Mr.Robert Franken (Blessed memory) over his abandoned fund 4.7Million Euros.
He died with his family during their vacation here in Madrid Spain on a motor accident. I am waiting for your response for more details. The fund is going to be share at the ratio of 60/30.30% for you and 60% for me and my family which we are going to use for investment in your country being our choice of re-location and 10% for outstanding expenses.
Please fill in your personal informations as indicated below and as soon as I receive this information's below i will forward you a text of an application which you will fill and send to the bank for the claim of the fund as i will direct you on what to do.
Your name in full:
Your country:
Your age:
Your cell phone:
Your occupation:
Your sex:
Your marital status:
Reply,for it is urgent.
DIRECT EMAIL vollendamarnold@Safe-mail.net
Regards,
Vollendam Arnold
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Anti-fraud resources: