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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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348034669580 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- howardcbowman@aol.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "BOWMAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <howardcbowman@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:33:11 +0100
Subject: LETS HAVE A COOL DEAL PLEASE!!!
Dear Friend,
I Am Mr Howard.C.Bowman,I Am An Umpire With The West African Lottery
Commission And We Usually Have Quarterly Lotto Program By Which Winners Are Drawn Electronically By Their Email Addresses .Winners Are Eligible To Win $ 1 Million.
The Issue Is That,Some Of The Winners Might Be Dead Or No Longer Check Or Use Their Emails Addresses And As A Result Wouldn't Come To Claim Their Prize Hence Making That Winning To Be Dormant.
So Here Is The Deal,I Would Like You To Stand And Claim This Particular Winner Who Has Been Dormant Since June This Year And The Maximum Time Given Is Before It Will Be Overruled As An Unclaimed Prize Is Four Months.Hence We Share The Prize Money 60% To You-40% To Me.
I Stand To Furnish You With All Necessary Documents To Enable You Claim This $ 1 Million.
This Is Strictly Confidential Please And If You See This To Be Against
Your Principles,Kindly Ignore This Proposal But If You Can Play Along
With Me,Then Kindly Reply Me Via howardcbowman@aol.com Or Call
Me On My Mobile +234-803-4669580.
Best Regards
Howard Bowman
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