|
|
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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Anderson Curtis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sircurtisanderson02@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2015 08:31:42 -0500
Subject: CONTACT ME URGENTLY FOR YOUR GOOD
Attention:,
My name is Anderson Curtis and i am here in Nigeria as an FBI delegate that has been delegated to investigate this fraudsters who are in the business of swindling the citizens of our great nation America an other part of the world.Following the suspension of the CBN Governor in person of Mr.Sanuisi Lamido,i decided to contact you because this is a great opportunity for you to receive your fund after the scandal that has lead to the president of the
Federal Republic Of Nigeria Suspending the office of the CBN Governor. The President using his good office was able to assign secret agent to investigate the works of the CBN Governor and this investigation has shown that he has
perpetrated a lot of evil in the finance sector using the CBN office to shield his evil act.
At this point i am contacting you to inform you that the President has assigned The legal Unit of Sandy Spring Bank USA to carry out your wire transfer and all initial C.O.T to be handled by the Government so it will be in your best
interest to contact me urgently so as to get direction on how to make contact with the legal attorney at the Sandy Spring Bank USA.
The transfer can be done in three ways
1) Through Bank to Bank wire transfer.
2) Through ATM card to be shipped to you through the courier service.
3) As a Bank Draft/Cheque to be delivered to you also through the courier
service.
I shall expect your response as soon as you receive this email.
Best Regard,
Anderson Curtis.
|
Anti-fraud resources:
