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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- gbokoubaza0002@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Gbokou Baza <da1584@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Gbokou Baza <gbokoubaza0002@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 21:09:20 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Urgent
  Dear friend,
Good-day to you.
I will be brief in my message and hit it straight to safe our time. I'm Barrister Gbokou BAZA ESQ of Cabinet de Gbokou Baza and the Principal Partner of Cabinet De Law Ogbuefi here in Cotonou Republic of Benin. I'm the attorney of a top politician in this country; I will not disclose his identity to you until I have your total cooperation and acceptance to work with us in this confidential matter.
As I write this message, the concerned person is currently under serious watch of the government for fund mismanagement during his tenor in the office.
As a friend and his lawyer he confide in me and disclosed his confidential deposit fund of sum $86,000,000.00 Eighty Six Million United States Dollars with a bank since past two years and this amount remains safe with the bank until recently that the government grant his arrest warrant.
This has brought about my contact with you according to the order of my friend to look for a competent Investment Manager/Foreign Partner where the fund can be transfer to for safety until the crisis died down.
He confided in me for this arrangement to be carried out, also he approved 30% of the total fund as a bountiful reward for the funds safe keeping service and also a possible investment opportunity in your country as investment manager after the fund is transferred to you.
Note: This is a risk free issue and you have nothing to be worried of. Arrangement has been made with the bank manager where the fund is deposited for quick change of ownership and immediate fund transfer without any kind of havoc.
Therefore be rest assured of your total safety. With my brief explanation above, confirm your interest in this opportunity by sending your full details with your direct telephone number and a copy of your identity.
Feel free to get back to me with the requested details for further clarification on my private ID: gbokoubaza0002@yahoo.com
Barr. Gbokou BAZA ESQ
Cabinet De Gbokou Baza
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