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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.JOHNSON AKU" <drjohnsonaku60@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 04:42:55 -0700
Subject: CALL ME
Attn Sir,
Following the result of the Nigerian presidential election of the of
April which President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan won clearly.
An other has been giving to the Nigerian Federal ministry of Finance
from the Presidency to make sure all outstanding foreign contractors
debt payment is carried out with immediate effect before the end of
this month that the ministry has to make sure that the payment are
made to all foreigners that inoveled as a mark of fulfilling the
promise he made during his campaign.
In other words I Dr.Johnson Aku.Foreign Remittance Department Federal
Ministry of Finance has be authorized to contact you and inform you
that an approval of $3.5M has been granted by our ministry to transfer
out from the country treasury to your account as part payment of your
fund since you are one of the lucky foreigners that the government
approved to be paid through our paying center in SAPIN were you will
travel to collect this approved $3.5M in Cash within the bank over
there and note that you will not pay a cent upfront to any body to get
this cash from SAPIN or if you can not travel to SAPIN the fund will
be loaded into an ATM VISA CARD and send it to any address you will
provide directly from here in Nigeria but note you will have to pay
for the card and for the cost of sending it to you before you will
receive it.
This is the directives from the Presidency as at yesterday and we
expect that you will respond positivly to this mail to enable us know
your mind towards it and the best way you may wish to get this your
approved fun before the month end as the we are adviced.
I wait for your urgent reply if this mail mean something good to you
after reading it meanwhile my security and official telephone number
is +234 8062111649 in case you want to call me but it has to be used
by only you alone please.
Yours sincerely,
Dr.Johnson Aku
Foreign Remittance Department
Federal Ministry of Finance
Federal Government of Nigeria
TEL:+234-8187006251
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