|
|
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:
- 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 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.
- stevenortiz29@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Steven Ortis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stevenortiz29@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:40:34 +0800
Subject: I am eager to work with you
Good day,
I got your email from the online data base in my determination to locate a family member of an account owner in my bank. I work as a foreign auditor with a popular commercial bank which i will not mention now until i have your support. I write you with all honest desire to help in assisting me repatriate the sum of $6.2M United States dollars deposited in 2010 by Mr. Henry Bill, who worked as consultant with ABC PETROLEUM LIBYA. He is late. he died in August 24th 2011 from the statistic i have of him. Since then my bank have assigned me to get to his family which i have tried but could not locate. More worrisome is the fact that he did not enlist any of his family members as beneficiary. I have this month to submitte my findings and i don't want to disclose i was not able to locate his beneficiary or family member.
I therefore will like you to work with me and i will process papers showing you are the beneficiary of the deposited fund and it will be paid to you within 3 working days. I want you to accept this offer without any fear as i am in the position to disclose who the right beneficiary is to my bank. If you accept write me at stevenortiz29@yahoo.com and i will tell you what we need to do.
Though i write you hoping we can work together on this. However if you are not capable please do let me know so i look for alternatives as i do not have much time on this.
Until i hear from you.
Steven
|
Anti-fraud resources:
