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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:
- "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 of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva" <officef570@gmail.com>
Reply-To: georgievakristalina93@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2021 03:45:21 +0800
Subject: From: International Monetary Fund
--
From: International Monetary Fund
Headquarters: WASHINGTON DC, United State of America
Formation: 27 December 1945
Region: Worldwide
Hours: Open Today From 8:30am 5:30pm
Good day to you dear beneficiary how are you doing today, I am Mrs.
Kristalina Georgieva the new Managing Director of International
Monetary Fund United State of America(IMF), I am contacting you
regarding your fund documentary from Washington DC which has been in
our office for the past two years worth the total sum of nine million
one hundred thousand united state dollar($9,100,000.00usd) i
personally decided to contact you with my personal email address to
avoid fraudulent issues on this transaction and also to know if you're
still alive since we haven't heard from you making any plans toward
claiming your funds for the past two years get back to me for more
information regarding your fund, and you're to reconfirm me your full
name to be very sure am dealing with the rightful beneficiary of the
Fund and you can as well get hold of My deputy Managing director Mr.
Mitsuhiro Furusawa with his direct mobile phone number +1(315)
387-0254 for more information about your fund.
Thank you
Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva
Managing Director IMF.
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Anti-fraud resources: