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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:
- "money-gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lome togo" (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 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.
- mredwardcocker@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: ramsey nweke <ramseyn767@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mredwardcocker@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2022 18:17:05 +0200
Subject: Dear Beneficiary
Dear Beneficiary,
We contact you in respect of your unclaimed Compensation funds of ($3.7
Million) United States Dollars which was deposited in our office by Ecowas
organization and instructed us to send the money to you via ATM VISA CARD
OR Money-Gram ONLINE transfer payment system for your easy claim of your
money. You have directed our Foreign Payment Remittance Unit, United Bank
of Africa Lome Togo, to issue you a Credit Card. VISA debit, where ($3.7
Million) USD will be debited from your fund, to continue withdrawing your
fund.
This is to inform you that your total funds of $3.7 Million have been
scheduled for payment to you through ATM VISA CARD.
And today we notify you that your fund has been credited to the VISA Card
by UBA Bank and is also ready to be delivered, now contact the secretary of
UBA Bank his name is Dr. KENNEDY UZOKA
Managing Director of United Bank for Africa
Bank website: http://www.ubagroup.com
VISA ATM UBA CARD DEPARTMENT (Group UBA (@UBAGroup)
Send the following information for the delivery of your credited ATM VISA
Card to your address:
Your full name ===============
Your country of origin =========
Your city =====================
Your home address ===========
Your gender ====================
Your age =====================
Your occupation ==============
Your phone number ===========
Zip code of your country ========
Be informed that we have concluded all necessary arrangements regarding
your payment and your ATM VISA CARD are ready to be sent to you as soon as
you contact us with information below.
Contact Person: Mrs. Vivian Francis
Contact email: ( mredwardcocker@gmail.com ). Therefore you should send
the required information to Mr. Joseph Gloria ikuku as soon as possible to
avoid unnecessary delays.
Thank you
Mr. Joseph Gloria ikuku (IMF) (601) official
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