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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:
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Clinton Atamuruo" <web_infor2011@att.net>
Reply-To: <attarclinton@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:55:23 +0100
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP
Dearest.
My name is Clinton Atamuruo 30year Old Boy. Please I need your assistance, I lost my family in my country during the war in Liberia
Please. There is a Deposit my late father made in Security Company here in Accra Ghana . Which I has the Document of the funds with me. And I have contacted the Security Company to no the existence of the Funds but . Please I need you to help me come over and stand for me as my beneficiary to receive the funds. please. The worth of the Deposited is $4.5 Million usd with Gold Dust of 30kg.
Please. Please help me I have tired of Refugee Life I need to leave out this camp I am here in Accra Ghana . please I will be waiting to hear from you .
Regards
Clinton Atamuruo.
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Anti-fraud resources:
