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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Julie. " <fg2sbpf07mb@gmail.com>
Reply-To: thyork0uk@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2013 13:53:00 +0100
Subject: Dear: Sir/Madam.
Greetings,
My name is Mrs Julie, hope you are fine in perfect condition of health, I
went through your profile and took interest for you to assistance my TWO
Children future with consignment funds of usd19.6million my HUSBAND
deposited for us with a Diplomatic Corp in Europe before his death because
i has been restricted out of movement due to cancer health condition i am
facing, i therefore plead for your assistance to retrieve out the
consignment funds for my Children's future lives and take 25% and keep 75%
for them.
Here is our attachment copy and have advice Mr. Thompson York to forward
your complete information with your passport copy to the Diplomatic Corp
in Europe for retrieving out the consignment funds on behalf of my Two
Children,s immediately you respond back with your information's.
Mrs.Julie.
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Anti-fraud resources:
