|
|
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:
- "abidjan" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Allen Eric <eric.allen252@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Allen Eric <allen_eric1@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2015 23:42:18 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greeting,
Greeting,
Pls, My sister and I need your kind urgent attention! I am 17 years old and my sister Ann is 13 years. We are reaching you with faith and I wish to solicit for your kind assistance to help us achieve our good plan to transfer our inherited money $4.5 million deposited in a bank here in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire to your safe bank account which I inherited from my late parents and also to help us come to your country after transfer of the money for investment which we will highly need your full assistance.
I will like to establish a good relationship with you, and am in need of your kind help to achieve this effort. I am the only son of my late father, Chief John Allen. He was gold and precious stones merchant when he was alive. He was poisoned to death by his brothers because of land dispute and his desire to run for Presidency. My late mother died last 3 months ago after she suffered kidney surgical operation here. When she was on hospital bed before her painful death, she advised my sister and I to seek for foreign assistance who will help us to receive this money and to leave Africa and help to put this money into good investments with fear of God as my sister and I do not have any good idea or knowledge to manage the big money.
We are Guinean Nationality. We will be very happy if you can be willing to help us to accomplish this plan as we have decided to leave from Africa and come to your country and resettle for this investment and secure our better future and also to further our education while you will be managing the investment on our behalf.
So please kindly indicate your interest while we will appreciate to give you more information on your request. I will like to offer you 20% of the money for your kind assistance. Anxiously
waiting for your interesting reply!
Please reply hear
Best regards
Eric Allen
|
Anti-fraud resources:
