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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:
- "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.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- mrsmarymalthew@yahoo.ca (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: LARRY ERIC <larryeric@barid.com>
Reply-To: <mrsmarymalthew@yahoo.ca>
Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2015 11:44:06 +0200
Subject: MY MESSAGE TO YOU.
--
ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM,
I AM MR LARRY ERIC,I WORK WITH A BANK HERE IN MY COUNTRY REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INFORM YOU THAT THE SUM OF (USD$950,000) NINE
HUNDRED
AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS HAS JUST BEEN TRANSFERRED TO
ONE
OF OUR CORRESPONDING BANKS IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT TO
YOU.
THE PAYING BANK IS NOW WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT THEM WITH THE BACK UP
LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR THE SAID FUND TRANSFER SO THAT THEY WILL REMIT YOUR
FUND INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.SO YOU ARE ADVICE TO FORWARD YOUR FULL
NAME,
CONTACT ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE TO OUR PROTOCOL OFFICER IN REPUBLIC OF
BENIN,TO ENABLE HER SEND TO YOU THE BACK UP LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR THE
ALREADY
TRANSFERRED FUND WHICH YOU WILL BE SUBMITTING TO THE PAYING BANK TO
ENABLE
THEM RELEASE YOUR FUND TO YOU.
BELOW IS OUR PROTOCAL OFFICER'S CONTACT INFO:-
CONTACT PERSON:MRS.MARY MALTHEW
TELEPHONE NUMBER:+229 99 385 507.
E-MAIL ADDRESS:( MRSMARYMALTHEW@YAHOO.CA )
BASE ON THE ABOVE INFORMATION'S,YOU ARE ADVISE THEN TO CO-OPERATE WITH
MRS
MARY MALTHEW SO THAT YOUR DOCUMENTS CAN BE SENT TO YOU.
THAT IS IT FOR NOW AND CONGRATULATIONS.
MR LARRY ERIC
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