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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:
- "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)
- 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.
- charleswalter06@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Izabel Christina dos Santos Souza <izabel.souza@tjam.jus.br>
Reply-To: rbitransferunit9@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 01:24:15 -0400 (AMT)
Subject:
My wife and I won £148 million pounds in the past year,and we have done much charity donation collectors so that we give each £1 million to 5 lucky people this 2014 good luck for you are choosed, your e-mail was given to us by Google-Management as one of our lucky recipients. We are so happy for you and your family.See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19254228 send your name: Address: Telephone number: congratulations and & happy fixed in advance, for more info.Contact Us: Text to +17632007954 or charleswalter06@gmail.com
Charles Walter.
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Anti-fraud resources:
