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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.
- 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.
- +447045725765 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Oman Dan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <omandan1@live.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:51:36 -0800
Subject: re:Reply
Hello
Quite sorry if this email comes to you as a surprise, My name Oman Dan a senior government official from Sudan.
Actually, I would just want to know the possibility at your end to assist me to receiving some fund deposited in a Finance Company into a safe bank account in your country or any other country of your choice.
It's an urgent business transaction because of the current financial probe that's targeted at Senior Government Officials and/or Former Political Office
Holders.
In fact, the government as at today is probing the accounts of all senior public servants/former political office holders and as such most senior
government officials/former political office holders are making serious efforts to take their funds to safe bank accounts overseas and
on this development I want to know if you will be able to co-operate with me as requested in this email. I am currently in London and can be reached on Telephone: +447045725765 and Fax: +447092874215.
We can have one-on-one discussion if you so desire. Please, kindly note that this is absolutely not a hoax mail or scam!!!!!!
It's a real business deal that will certainly benefit both of us.
Awaiting your urgent response as time is of great essence in this transaction.
Please do reply to me through my private email:
Best Regards,
Oman Dan
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Anti-fraud resources:
