|
|
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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "million 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)
- 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.
- morganpeters09@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Gen Morgan Peters <morganpeters09@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 May 2012 05:14:58 -0700
Subject: Greeting From Afghanistan
Hello my good friend ,
I am Gen. Morgan Peters , an officer of the U.S Army. I just moved to
Afghanistan from Iraq as one of the last batch that just left and have
some huge amount of money i want to entrust in your care
$20,000.000.00 (twenty million united states dollars ).Can you be
trusted? we thank you
guys for your prayers . I will only highlight you more on this
transaction as soon as I hear from you.please signify your interest by
replying to my private email,with your name and mobile number to
(morganpeters09@gmail.com )
You will find the story of this money on the web address below. After
we have summated the remaining part of the fund to American Government
.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2967029.stm
Thanks
Respectfully,
Gen . Morgan Peters
United States Marine Corps. Kabul.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
