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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:
- "top of the day to you" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "HON.Dr.Collins Dauda" <esjoan_79@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <hondaudacllins@inMail24.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:50:25 +0100
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED, WRITE ME BACK NOW.
Good day
Top of the day to you and how is business and life with you? I wish to purchase a residential home for my family in your country with all house comforts if available. So if you are capable and willing to secure the above mentioned property as soon as possible, kindly get back to me with your name, address and phone number so that I can tell you what to do about this purchase.
I wait your swift reply.
Regards,
Hon. Dr. Collins Dauda.
NOTE: This purchase must be very confidential because of my position in my country as a Minister.
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Anti-fraud resources:
