|
|
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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "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.
- kojabaah.kb@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: kojabaah.kb@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 06 Jul 2017 18:11:23 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL
Hello, My Dear Friend
My name is Mr. Koja Baah. I am a Chief Finance Officer of a leading bank here in Ghana. I got your contact from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Ministry of
International Trade and Industry. I need your help to transfer the some US$12.5 Million dollars.
The money is part of the profits from our bank last year (2016). I have already submitted annual report for last year to my bank headquarters in Accra-Ghana, and they
did not notice the excess profits.
I deposited the US$12.5 Million dollars in an escrow account without a beneficiary (Anonymous) to avoid any trace.
Therefore i want you to come and stand as the beneficiary of the said amount in our bank here in Ghana, I will tell you the process as soon as i receive your full
acceptance, but i will not fail to remind you that the transaction is 100% risk free because all the legal procedures has been taken care of.
I will be waiting for your urgent responds via mail address:
kojabaah.kb@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Mr. Koja Baah
|
Anti-fraud resources:
