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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- "barrister" (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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- georgethompson999@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Georgethompson <Georgethompson999@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 16:15:52 +0000
Subject: Urgent response,
*Good day,I am George thompson, an Attorney from Republic of Togo. It might
interest you to know that i have a deceased client that bears the same
surname with you, who is now late. He deposited the sum of Nine million
five hundred thousand US dollars $9.5million in a bank here. I am
contacting you to stand as his heir,reply to is Email
Address(georgethompson999@hotmail.com <georgethompson999@hotmail.com>) of
further information.Sincerely Yours Barrister George thompson(Esq)*
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Anti-fraud resources:
