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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million pounds" (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- gerwynsamuelesq24@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Gerwyn Samuel <gerwynsamuel24@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: <gerwynsamuel24esq@rediffmail.com>
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 05:53:35 -0800
Subject: Message!
--
Dear Friend,
I wish to intimate you with a request that would be of immense benefit
to both of us. Being the executor of the Will,The issue is about my
client who wills a tremendous amount of funds to his next-of-kin.
unfortunately he died with his next-of-kin same day in the Sharjah plane
crash of Tuesday 10 February 2004.
I seek your assistance to act as the beneficiary of the inheritance,
and lay claim to these funds (£12.4million pounds), which this my
unfortunate client bequeathed to his next-of-kin.The share would be 40%
for you and 60% for me. All I have to do is to modify the Will stating
you as the beneficiary to the £12.4million pounds.
Please embrace this by reverting to me urgently to enable me proceed.
Yours truly,
Barr. Gerwyn Samuel
gerwynsamuelesq24@yahoo.co.uk
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Anti-fraud resources:
