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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:
- 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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Sarah John" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sarahjohn475@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 15:52:47 +0100
Subject: Swift payment??
FROM THE DESK OF:
Sarah John
TELEGRAM: WBUNAFRP
REF NO: AUTH PMT-WB/UN/AFRP/IOD/2012
ATTENTION; NOTIFICATION OF PAYMENT
Re: Swift payment of your (US$25.5M)Twenty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only
Dear: Beneficiary
This is to officially inform you that the new executive board of directors of World
Bank/United Nation Assisted Funds Recovery program (WBUNAFRP)in conjunction with(BOA)Bank of America have Discovered a lot of payment files that were dumped untreated in the past. After Our deliberation at the council meeting. we discover that your email Address/name and company is among the outstanding beneficiaries due for payment Years ago but yet the money had not been release to you.
Furthermore: we Sincerely apologize for the delay and inconveniences this Payment might have coursed you in this effect the total sum of (US$25.5M)Twenty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars your funds is being process for payment based on this you are advised to fill in the below information's for perfect facilitating of your payment.
1. NAME IN FULL...
2. ADDRESS...
3. NATIONALITY:...................................
4. AGE...
5. SEX..............................................
6. OCCUPATION...
7. MARITAL STATUS...
8. PRIVATE PHONE NO/FAX............................
9. ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION.............
10 FULL BANKING DETAILS INFORMATION'S --------
Note that the target of this office is to ensure that all per-qualified Beneficiaries receive their payment within the next 14th banking days of
the commencement of the per-qualification exercise; I therefore seek for Your full co-operation so as to ensure that the target is archived
Successfully as promised. Kindly reply as you receives this letter.
Regards
Sarah John
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