|
|
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:
- 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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- maxwell.balogun@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: =?utf-8?Q?Mr=20Maxwell?= <maxwellbalogun@vivaldi.net> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2018 19:57:49 +0900
Subject: =?utf-8?Q?Dearest?=
Dear Friend,
Please do accept my apology if my mail infringes on your personal
ethics. My name is Mr Maxwell Balogun,in our Bank
, there is huge amount deposited by one of our late customer .
Honestly it will be my humble pleasure if we can
work together.
I want you to stand in as the next of kin to a deceased depositor who
died in car accident on the 20th of November
2007 without any registered next of kin. Several efforts were made to
find his extended family through your embassy
without success. I have received official letter from the bank
suggesting a likely proceeding for confiscation of
the Fund in line with existing laws by the bank in which my client
deposited the sum of $30 Million Dollars.
According to the Government Law here, at the expiration of 11 years
the fund will revert to the ownership of the
Ghana Government, if nobody applies to claim the fund.
My proposition to you is to present you to our bank as the Next of kin
to my late depositor so that the bank will
pay this $30 Million Dollars to you as his beneficiary so that we can
share the amount on a mutually agreed
percentage of 50% for me 50% for you.
All legal documents to back up your claim will be provided by me. All
I require is your honest cooperation to
enable us see this transaction through. I will also guarantee you that
this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law here or
in your country.
If you are interested in this transactions, Please do contact me
immediately via this email address ( maxwell.balogun@aol.com )so that
I can give you comprehensive
details on how to proceed. Your immediate response will be highly appreciated.
Regards and God bless
Mr Maxwell Balogun
maxwellbalogun@vivaldi.net
|
Anti-fraud resources:
