|
|
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:
- 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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Santander Bank USA <filespayment04@gmail.com>
Reply-To: santanderbank396@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:45:41 -0700
Subject: THIS WILL BE THE LAST NOTICE FROM THE USA SANTANDER BANK TO
YOU,CONTACT US ON WHATSAPP NOW
--
This is Mrs Sandra Jean Wright the Bank Manager of USA Santander Bank,
I hope you have got our previous email and you still keeping silent
for the long time. As we told you about the $3.500.000.00 USD which we
got the alert of the deposit from the Benin Republic president and the
IMF international Monitory Funds as your fund compensation which they
stated that they were compensating all the scam victims and luckily
your information including your email appeared on the scam list and
that is the reason you are among of the compensation receivers since
January 2021,
The government of Benin Republic has finally paid all the fee to
upload your $3.500.000.00 into ATM visa card Or to transfer the funds
to you via Online Bank wire transfer Or Through Bitcoin wallet
transfer but it remains the activation fee of your payment files
before any of this transfer will take place,
Due to your silent Or Over failing to send the payment for the long
time we the USA Santander Bank has finally planned to loan your funds
$3.500.000.00 to our customer Mr Richard Lucky by next week Monday if
you fail to pay the $50.00 for the activation fee today and receive
your ATM card/transfer, So am here to advised you to send $50.00 itune
card/Steam wallet card immediately today so i can personally work on
your ATM card /transfer activation and get delivered/transfer to you
against the monday,
Regards
USA Santander Consumer Bank manager
Mrs.Sandra Jean Wright
|
Anti-fraud resources: