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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million united states 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)
- "30% for you " (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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (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.
- 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.
- eco.depo.services@onet.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Ansel Oliver Theodore" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <eco.depo.services@onet.pl>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2018 14:46:38 -0700
Subject: I DO HOPE YOU WILL HONOR THIS//
Dear Sir/Madam,
I sincerely apologize to you if this massage doesn't constitute your business / personal ethics and for prying into your privacy. I am Dr. Ansel Oliver Theodore, the Director of the Economic Community Of West African States ECOWAS in Cotonou Republic of Benin. The reason am contacting you is because I have the sum of US$85Million { EIGHT FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS } in a fix deposit account Stashed in the security save in our our Security vault here in Cotonou Republic of Benin which I am the account officer and I want to transfer to your bank account these funds for our mutual benefit.
These funds have been here for more than eight (8) years and the owner is late. The owner died without stating his next of kin. He was a TOP POLITICIAN and as a matter of fact he controls the crude oil sales as he was the petroleum minister. I am convinced that these large sums is from crude oil sales extractions and inflation of oil contracts bills.
If you are willing to work with me, then we shall share the money 65% : 30%, that is 65% for me and 30% for you and 5% for all expenses that might be accrued by both sides during the course of this transfer. You can be rest assured that this transfer will be 100% risk free and as the Director of the company and the account officer of the deceased, I will facilitate all the necessary paper work in your favor as the beneficiary of the account and have my friend in the bank who is the present Foreign Remittance Director release funds in your bank account.
If you are interested in this deal. Please do write back with your full details such as;
Your Full names:
Address:
Country:
Tel. / Mobile numbers:
DOB:
Sex:
Looking forward to your positive response while maintaining optimum discretion
Yours Truly
Dr. Ansel Oliver Theodore.
Tel: +229 62 012330
Email:eco.depo.services@onet.pl
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