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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:
- 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:
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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: "Mr. Ajayi Michae" <"www."@siren.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr. Ajayi Michae" <ajayimichael1996@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2017 21:34:33 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Good Morning My dear,
Good Morning My dear,
I am sending you this message according to the directive We receive from our New President Akufo Addo. Are you the real owner of this email address? If yes do you know that you have unfinished transaction in this Region called ECOWAS Community.
Therefore all your payment files has been submitted to us for immediate payment and I am in charge of the payment file now and that is the reason I am contacting you as those causing obstacle to your fund transfer had been sacked and now we are all new administrators here now.The total amount submitted to us is $10,500,000.00 (Ten million and Five Hundred thousand United State Dollars)
These are the Fund in all the ECOWAS States and if you know that you are the real owner call me now and also reply with all your personal information.
Thanks
Mr. Ajayi Michae
Director Foreign
Payment Deptment
Ministry of Finance.
+233-558-582-214
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Anti-fraud resources: