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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:
- "activation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "atmcard_dept56@yahoo.com.tr" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" scams)
- 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.
- atmcard_dept56@yahoo.com.tr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "OFFICE FILE" <kweil7@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: atmcard_dept56@yahoo.com.tr
Date: Thu, 23 May 2013 03:32:28 -0400
Subject: CONTACT APEX BANK ATM CARD PAYMENT
Hello my dear,
I have contacted my secretary to confirm if you have received the compensation draft cheque of ($2.8Million USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS) which I issued in your name, but he told me that he could not send it to you because of the courier charges. Now I have called my bank to cancel any payment regards to the draft cheque and then authorized them to transfer the payment into ATM CARD in your name which they did...
As of now be informed that all charges has been paid and the ATM CARD
is going to be in your name, but must be reactivate for international operation to enable it work in your Country and any other Country you may take it for money withdrawal. Now you have to forward your current information’s as requested below to the Apex Bank and the only money you will pay to the bank is US$58USD for the reactivation fee.
Here are the information’s you have to forward to the bank:
1. YOUR FULL NAMES:______
2. Postal ADDRESS:_______
3. PHONE NUMBER:_________
4. CELL NUMBERS:_______
5. EMAIL ADDRESS :________
6. SEX:_____
7. AGE:_____
8 .CUPATION:________
9. NATIONALITY:________
CONTACT PERSON: DR.DOMINIC PART,
Director, ATM Foreign Operation Dept.
Apex Bank Plc Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Phone:+229/98075585
Email:(atmcard_dept56@yahoo.com.tr )
Get back to me once you received the ATM CARD.
Thanks and God bless you.
Mr. Peter Ben
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