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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- amandabjohnson89@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: <011@Jalonkatu.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <amandabjohnson89@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2013 20:40:47 +0530
Subject: I AM MRS.AMANDA
Dear friend, My name is Mrs. Amanda Johnson. I am a dying woman who had dec=
ided to donate what I have to the Charities. I am 71 years old and was diag=
nosed with cancer four years ago immediately after the death of my husband.=
I have been touched to donate what I have inherited from my late husband f=
or the good work rather than allow his relatives to use my husband's hard e=
arned money. As I lay on my sick bed, I want you to help me accomplish my l=
ast wish on earth which will be very profitable to you and to humanity. I w=
ant to WILL a total sum of $10million USD to you which I want you to distri=
bute part of it to charity homes for me and the part of the money for yours=
elf and your family. I want you to utilize this money by taking care of the=
less privileged, the orphanage homes and setting up a charity home. I am c=
oncerned about the poor and the less privileged people as my last service t=
o humanity. The cancer is in a very critical stage according to the doctors=
and this sickness has suffered me so much. Please remember always to pray =
for me. You can reach me on my email (amandabjohnson89@gmail.com ). Regards=
, Mrs. Amanda Johnson=20
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Anti-fraud resources:
