|
|
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:
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Safiya Gadafi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: < smartkong_j@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:28:18 -0000
Subject: I WANT TO BUY YOUR PRODUCT
PEACE BE UNTO YOU IN THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY
I AM SAFIYA WIDOW OF THE LATE PRESIDENT GADAFI.I AM CURRENTLY HIDING SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA AND FOR SECURITY REASONS AND MY SAFETY I WILL NOT REVEAL THAT TO YOU UNTIL I AM CERTAIN YOU WILL BE WILLING TO ASSIST ME ON THE DEAL.MY HUSBAND IS DEAD AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD AND THE HEAD OF THE NEW NTC GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO TRACK US AND RECOVER ALL THE FUNDS HE FEELS WAS STASHED ABROAD.BUT PERSONALLY I DO HAVE THE SUM OF $300,OOO,000,MILLION DOLLARS IN A BANK IN AFRICA AS WELL AS 120,000,000 IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN Paris AND IT IS IN MY NAME AND I NEED TO MOVE IT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ANOTHER NAME.I KNOW YOU MAY BE NOT BE HAPPY WITH THINGS YOU HEARD ABOUT MY HUSBAND BUT HE WAS A LOVING AND CARING FATHER AND HUSBAND AND FOR THAT REASON I ASK FOR YOUR HELP.
ALL I NEED IS FOR YOU TO AGREE TO HELP ME MOVE THIS FUNDS TO YOUR ACCOUNT AND WHEN THE SITUATION IMPROVES I CAN COME OVER FOR THE FUNDS
?????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? GADAFI.I AM ????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??????? ? ??????? ????? ? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? DEAL.MY IS ?????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ????? ??????? NTC ???? ?? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??? ???? ABROAD.BUT WAS ????? ????? ??? ???? 300 ????? ? OOO? 000 ? ????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ????? 120000000 ?? ????? ????? ??? ?? Paris ???? ?? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????????? ????????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? NAME.I ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ?????????.
?? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ????? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????????
|
Anti-fraud resources:
