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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.
- 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.
- fbilocalagent@washington.usa.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- contact name: john stefanidis iii contact e-mail: fbilocalagent@washington.usa.com bear in mind that you have to be extremely (Washington; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation <fbi@fbi.gov>
Reply-To: fbilocalagent@washington.usa.com
Date: 12 Mar 2010 18:04:26 -0000
Subject: Notice Mail From Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, D.C
We apologize for this medium of communication concerning this matter but you have to consider the fact that we had a critical problem today with the Economic & Financial Crimes Commissions office today concerning the contrary transfer of your fund into an unknown bank account.
Nevertheless, we investigated deeply into the matter and found out that the fund had not been transferred but about to be done which had been stopped with immediate effect.
We vehemently advise you act accordingly as your fund had been placed under our custody to avoid any further problem or delay in this matter.
To this effect, youre to contact our local agent for concrete direction:
Contact Name: JOHN STEFANIDIS III
Contact E-mail: fbilocalagent@washington.usa.com
Bear in mind that you have to be extremely careful because we found out that a criminal had been making use of the below e-mail address in frustrating you by claiming to be an agent from this office PLEASE IGNORE AN MESSAGE FROM THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS:: Fbureau@washington.usa.com FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT
Do not reply to this mailbox: fbi@fbi.gov due to JavaScript page error. All response should be directed to our local agent at fbilocalagent@washington.usa.com
Best Regards,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, D.C
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Anti-fraud resources: