|
|
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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Youssef Bakary" <amirnmaqboolsb@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ybakary601@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:51:54 +0100
Subject: From Mr. Youssef Bakary.
From Mr. Youssef Bakary
Bank Of Africa (B.O.A)
Burkina Faso Ouagadougou
My Dear Friend,
Please I want you to read this letter very carefully and I must
apologize for barging this message into your mail box without any
formal introduction due to the urgency and confidential of this issue
and I know that this message will come to you as a surprise. Please
this is not a joke and I will not like you to joke with it.
I am Mr. Youssef Bakary Manager in Bank Of Africa (B.O.A) Ouagadougou,
Burkina Faso. I Hoped that you will not expose or betray this trust
and confident that I am about to establish with you for the mutual
benefit of you and I.
This fund was deposited in our bank by Mr. Kattan Azmal from Jordan
who died in a plane crash in 2000 Tbm 700 aircraft on 31st July with
his wife and the whole crew on board.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of ($15) million
USD into your account within 14 working banking days. This money has
been deposited for years in our Bank without claim due to the owner of
this fund died along with his entire family in an air crash since July
31st 2000.
The reason why i contacted you is that after the bank audit in 24th of
November, we found out that this fund has remained unclaimed since the
death of the deceased costumer.
I want our bank to release this fund to you as the nearest person to
our deceased customer while i come over to your country to share this
fund with you as soon as you confirm this fund into your account and
ask me to come over.
I don't want the money to go into our Bank treasure as an abandoned
fund. So this is the reason why i contacted you so that our bank will
release this money to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer.
Please I would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and
delete it if you are not interesting.
Upon the receipt of your reply and indication of your capability, i
will give you full details on how the business will be executed and
also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned sum if you
agree to handle this business with me while 60% be for me, Because i
don't want anyone here in our bank to know my involvement until you
confirm this fund into your account and ask me to come over for the
sharing as I indicated.
I am looking forward to hear from you immediately for further information
Sincerely,
Mr. Youssef Bakary
|
Anti-fraud resources:
