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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Valencia" <admin@journalstar.com>
Reply-To: valencia.hedibetho.vip@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2018 21:20:59 -0700
Subject: Dear Friend,
Dear friend
If this proposal is alright by you, then kindly get to Me immediately Because of The Urgency of This Transactions Declare Your Interest In Working With Me
I take time to write this message to you after going through your Bio data as am searching for a reliable person i come across your contact seeing you to be a reliable person
My name is Dr. Valencia Hedibetho I am a financial broker by profession. I have an important business I want to propose to you therefore go through this email and get back to me as soon as possible.
In the year 2011 during the political upheavals in Libya, I was consulted by one of my old client an oil magnate and ex minister of petroleum being a strong ally to deposed Libyan president Muammar Gaddaffi. My client sought for my assistance to move the sum of $45 million dollars to a financial house abroad when it became clear to him that Gaddaffi will be ousted from the seat of power.
As a financial broker I made the necessary arrangements with an offshore financial house and the total sum of $45 million was moved out safely and was placed under their custody without a beneficiary's name because my client didn't want his name mentioned due to his political status at the time. Now the financial house has called on my urgent attention to furnish them with the details of the rightful beneficiary to enable them set up a proper account and place the funds but unfortunately my client was assassinated few years ago in an unknown circumstances. Please check the report of his death on BBC news http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17889660
Now I am seeking your assistance to present you to the financial house as the beneficiary of the funds to enable them place the funds on your name for subsequent transfer to any bank account you may provide. I decided to do this because I cannot forfeit this deposit to the bank considering the fact that no other individual or person is aware of this deposit except me and my deceased client. As a financial broker, I will use my expertise to secure whatever document that may be needed to proof that the fund is coming to you as an investment fund which will prove the origin and source of funds to your receiving bank prior to the transfer.
Your role is to only pose as the beneficiary of the deposit since the fund was deposited without beneficiary's name and after that you will instruct the bank to transfer the funds to any account you will provide in your country or anywhere else and after that I will fly down to meet with you and disburse the money 50% for you and 50% for me. I am open for negotiations if you deem it necessary. As a Christian I would want to use part of my own share to start a charity organisation to help millions of impoverished children there in Libya.
As you can see from the above explanation, everything about this transaction is 100% legitimate and will never bring trouble of any kind now and after the completion of the transaction.
If you are ready to work with me kindly indicate your interest of coming down to Accra Ghana and provide me your direct telephone number for verbal discussion.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Valencia
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