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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:
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "you are advise 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 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.
- debtmanagementoffice@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officedebtmanagement47@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 19:49:33 +0100
Subject: ATTENTION: FUND BENEFICIARY
DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
Ref No. R-1415
EMAIL.:debtmanagementoffice@yahoo.com
Attn:FUND BENEFICIARY,
We are humbly using this medium to notify you officially that African Union and United Nations Payment Compensation Commission have irrevocably approved a non-repayable Debt payment of US$10.5 Million Five Hundred Thousand USD to be release to you.Via our Apex Bank TESCO BANK LONDON You are advise to contact MR DAVID ALEX the Head Foreign Department of Tesco bank with this Email:Davidtiscobank@mail.co.uk Phone +448442020948 FAX +448458741539 He have been mandated to release this US$10.5 Million Five Hundred Thousand USD to you without any delays. Your payment release code is UN/3480/02/00 and Approval No is 759974. You are strongly advised to contact MR DAVID ALEX on his email address Above to enable him release your US$10.5 Million Five Hundred Thousand USD to you now.
Please contact MR DAVID ALEX now and tell him that you received a message from DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE to contact him regarding the $10.5 Million Five Hundred Thousand USD approved to be release to you.As your email was among the listed email Approved to received this payment
Yours truly,
Stanley ABOYO
Vice Chairman
DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
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Anti-fraud resources: