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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: David Jackson <davidjackson517@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: David Jackson <jackson_david23@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 02:29:36 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION NIGERIA DIVISION,
Our Ref: RTB /SNT/STB
To. Beneficiary:
ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM,
I am Special Agent David Jackson and I am here in Nigeria as an FBI
delegated Agent to investigate all fraudsters who are in the business
of swindling Foreigners that has one form of business and another in
Nigeria.
Please be informed that during my investigations, I got to find out
that there was a huge sum in millions that was been assigned in your
name (Beneficiary) and the fraudsters were only busy swindling you
without any hope of transferring your fund.
NOTE: You are not suppose to pay that huge amount from the beginning
before the release of your fund and transfer of your fund to you.
We have to inform you that we have made some arrests in respect of this
delayed over due fund payments. I have a very limited time to stay here
in Nigeria; so I advice that you urgently respond to this message.
I shall be expecting your response as soon as you receive this email.
Please, do not inform any of those people that collected money from you
about this new development in order not to jeopardize our
investigation. You must get back to me urgently.
Best Regard,
DAVID JACKSON
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION NIGERIA DIVISION
INVESTIGATION ON ALL ONLINE WIRE TRANSFER.
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Anti-fraud resources:
