|
|
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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us 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.
- madamzinab712@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: zinab hassan <zinabhassan99@live.com>
Reply-To: <madamzinab712@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2014 10:57:06 +0000
Subject: YOUR INVOLVEMENT IS NEEDED TO ACTUALIZE THIS DREAM
Dear Friend,
I hope my mail will find you and your family in good health. My name are Suzy/Zinab Hassan Mohamed, I know it will be a big surprise for you to receive my email because emails like these fly over the internet telling people about funds and every other thing but,I always receive offers from the internet which I normally delete because I believe they might be scam letters but please I beg you and I swear to the Allah I worship that what I'm telling you is not a joke or a scam.If you follow everything I have said in my letter both of us will be happy for the rest of our lives.
I'm from Libya and my husband was one of the late Gaddafi's son's drivers.It was my husband who took Gaddafi's family to Niger and Algeria when they ran from Libya.But he came back to Libya and died when their convoy was hit by NATO bomb.But he told me something very important when he was alive.He told me how he took some money from Gaddafi's son to secret place known to him alone.
He said the money is 8.6 million Us Dollars kept in a big suitcase secretly hidden and also 86 kilos of gold which he kept somewhere else. I will want to give you information about all what I am saying because seeing is believing.I am presently out of Libya because we ran out during the war.
why I'm writing you is because I want you to take ownership of the funds and gold which my husband kept because if people know that it belongs to my late husband they will seize it and report to the Libyan government. my husband fought and died for his master so, please I have to keep everything secret until I hear from you. And please all what I'm saying is just known by both of us and nobody else.
I have 4 children for my husband and nothing to feed them here until I can get hold of what I just told you but I still have to be very careful not to lose the money or the gold. I will share the money and the gold with you if you will assist me.
Just for you to claim ownership of the money and the gold I will give you half of the money and half of the gold when it is under your control.I will tell you how you can receive the money and the gold when I hear from you. Also every other details will be given when I see your seriousness to help us receive both items. please send me your direct details and phone number so we can talk. my first son speak English very well. please reply with your information.
I also want you to know that the money and the gold are not in Libya.Both of them are kept in different countries.I will let you know the countries as soon as I hear from you.
I hope to hear from you as soon as possible:Alternative Email address:madamzinab712@yahoo.com
Regards,
Madam Suzy/Zinab
|
Anti-fraud resources:
