|
|
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.
- 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.
- farazsuarez@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "faraz suarez" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <farazsuarez@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2011 06:22:54 +0100
Subject: Urgent Assistancer
United Arab Emirates.
Greetings from Dubai,
This message might meet you in (utmost surprise), however, it's just my urgent need for foreign partner that
made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from United Arab Emirates and
currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the bank.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($17.5million) our bank deceased customer late
Mr Abdou Elzanaty and his wife Fawkia Abed Raboh Elzanaty , who died on (Egypt Air Flight 990)along
with his family on a plane crash below .http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm. Hence
i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 50/50 as
a brotherhood. If you agree to my business proposal. Further details of the Transfer will be forwarded to
you as soon as i receive your return mail. Follow your details to my mail id farazsuarez@aol.com
Respectfully Yours
Mr.Faraz Suarez
|
Anti-fraud resources:
