|
|
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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- colonelissam@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: NATION <nationaward@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 00:01:28 +0530
Subject: SIR/MADAM
My name is colonel Issa Mohammed a serving Military man under the Libyan
Army, I am in charge of buying Military equipment's, this information I
want to relate to you now is very confidential and it should be kept top
secret even if you are not interested to work with me,
Recently my government approve the sum of US$35M for us to purchase
Military equipment with my position I over invoice the purchase of the
Military Equipment to the sum of US$6.5M the company have supplied the
equipment's and I want to use your name as the sister company that supplied
the remaining equipment's that will receive the balance of US$6.5M.
This deal is 100% risk free as I have covered every lip hole and documents
to backup this US$6.5M into your account will be processed and obtained as
well concealed
All that I need from you now is your total support commitment and trust to
keep and safe guard this funds in your account, please let us work in
harmony as brothers to successfully transfer this funds to your account and
uphold the secret and trust to each other as brothers, we will share this
funds 50/50 to avoid any greed.
All I need now is your full name l which will be used to process the
document and also process the transfer of this US$6.5M into your account
which you will provide.
This deal is estimated to last only 14 working days, I will arrange to meet
you as soon as the funds is in your custody.
Yours Brother
Email; colonelissam@gmail.com
Col. Issa Mohammed
|
Anti-fraud resources:
