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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:
- 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:
- "foreign service manager" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "postcode2010@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
Fraud email example:
From: "EUROMILLIONES LOTTERY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <postcode2010@live.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:25:42 +0200
Subject: YOU ARE POST CODE WINNER 2010` [Batch Number: EU-175508]
Euromilliones Lottery International
[Mutua Seguros SL]
Paseo de la Castellana 44,
28046 Madrid. Spain.
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THE POST CODE LOTTERY.
We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our 2010 Spanish Postcode Lottery E-mail program. This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed to encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. Your winning references are:
(i) Amount Won: 1,000,000 {One Million Euros only}
(ii) Ticket Number: (ES42071-002)
(iii) Batch Number :( EU-175508)
(iv) Reference Number :( ES07-84-09-00-221)
You are advised to keep this winning very confidential until you receive your lump prize in your account or optional check issuance to you. This is a protective measure to avoid double claiming by people you may tell as we have had cases like this before. Contact the claim officer with your Full Name, Tel Number and winning references for more information on your prize.
Dr. Edwin Miguel.
Foreign Service Manager.
Tel: 0034634041202
Email: postcode2010@live.com
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Maria Carlos,
Public Relation Officer.
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Anti-fraud resources: