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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 "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- am.williams05@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Lady Amanda Williams <am.williams05@live.com>
Reply-To: am.williams05@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:36:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: My Will
Lady Amanda Williams.
E-mail:am.williams05@gmail.com
Here writes Lady Amanda Williams, suffering from cancerous ailment. I was.married to Sir Richard Williams an Englishman who is dead. My husband was into private practice all his life before his death. Our life together as man and wife lasted for three decades without child, My husband and I made a vow to uplift the down-trodden and the less-privileged individuals as he had passion for persons who can not help themselves due to physical disability or financial predicament.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of ?5 Million which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital market with his bank. Presently, this money is still with the bank.Recently, my doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering from and the stroke in addition.With this that has befallen my family and me I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift to fund the upkeepofupliftthedown-trodden and the less-privilege sine i have no child and my husband relatives are bourgeois and very wealthy persons and I do not want my husband's hard earned money to be misused.I shall give you the contact of the bank and a Letter of Authority that will empower you as the original beneficiary.Please ensure that you contact me through my personal emailaddress:am.williams05@gmail.com
Best Regards,
Lady Amanda Williams.
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Anti-fraud resources:
