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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "30% for you " (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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- kwadwoafari@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.Kwadwo Afari-Gyan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kwadwoafari50@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 06:18:12 -0000
Subject: Hello Friend
01/02/2012
Hello Friend
I guess this letter may come to you as surprise since I had no previous correspondence with you.
I am the Chairman of the Electoral Commission Ghana (EC). I got your contact in my search for a reliable person to handle a very confidential transaction involving the transfer of the sum of $14.500.000 Dollars (Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) the above fund is not connected with arms, drugs or money laundering. It is the product of an over invoiced contract awarded in 2008 by (EC) to a foreign company for the supply of electoral materials that were used for conducting the 2008 elections.
The contract has long been executed and payment of the actual contract amount has been made to the foreign contractor leaving the balance of $14.5 million which my colleagues and I now want to transfer out of Ghana into a reliable foreign account for our personal use.
As civil servants we are not allowed to run foreign accounts. Hence we have chosen to front and support you as the beneficiary to this funds. If you are interested in the proposal kindly get back to me by sending me your letter of acceptance along with your direct telephone and fax numbers, we have decided to share the money in the following percentage, 60% for us 30% for you the account owner and 10% for all local and international expenses that may arise in the course of this transaction. Further details about this transaction will be discussed in subsequent correspondence.
Note also that the particular nature of your business is irrelevant to this transaction and this transaction is expected to be concluded within 5 working days since all local contacts and arrangements are in place for a smooth and successful conclusion of this transaction.
Contact me via email with your contact telephone and fax numbers, so that I can call you for a discussion.
Thank you as I await your response.
Please contact me my private email:kwadwoafari@rediffmail.com
yours faithfully,
Dr.Kwadwo Afari-Gyan
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