|
|
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:
- 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:
- "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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ahmed Jombo" <kgm1102@veiclaus.net>
Reply-To: jwesq@kimo.com
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:04:07 -0400
Subject: Payment Reminder
REF: FGG/PRES/DPU/2005/QTR01/VOL.2
RE: PAYMENT OF YOUR OVER DUE FUND
Honorable Contractor,
Following directives and mandate given this office in respect of your
overdue contract/inheritance
fund claim valued at $5M ( Five Million United States Dollars), I am
delighted to
inform you that your name was in the pay roll on the schedule of payment.
Now that we verified your outstanding contract payment in the previous
schedule, it shown that you have
not receive your fund. Very disheartened that you have not receive your
fund because in your payment
schedule roll, other contractors/beneficiaries short listed along side with
your name have received their
fund long time ago. This made you to benefit from this new payment regime.
Your name has been short listed among other contractors/beneficiaries whose
fund has been over due for
payment, that will benefit from this payment regime newly introduced.
Please you are advice to get back to as soon as you receive this message
for proper action as detailed above.
Reconfirm your information such as your name address and cell/phone number
in your return reply of this message.
We urge your maximum co-operation as we are obliged to serve you better and
to restore back lost hope
to you.
Thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Ahmed Jombo
|
Anti-fraud resources:
