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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:
- "million pounds" (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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- mrsfishere@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Ella Fisher <ella.fishere45@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: msellafishere@aim.com
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:48:39 -0500
Subject: Hope to hear from you
Beloved Friend,
I am Mrs.Ella Fisher from Chile undergoing medical treatment in Cecilia
Makiwane Hospital South Africa. I am married to Dr. Martins Fisher Jr who
worked with British Judicial Commission in England for over a decade before he
died on 5th of July in the year 2005, we were married but without Any children
and presently Before his death he made a vow to use his wealth for the down
trodden and the less privileged in the society.
Since his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my
matrimonial
home When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of £4 Million (4
Million Pounds sterling) with one Finance/Security Company in
Europe.Presently,
this money is still with the Finance/Security Company. Recently, my
Doctor told
me that I would not last for the next 4 months due to a rare form of cancer of
the pabcreas. I want you to use 90% of this money to fund churches, orphanages
and widows around the world but in my name Mrs.Ella Fisher .
I would need your response to be directed to this email for sake of
confidentiality (mrsfishere@aim.com). Hope to hear from you. Thank you and may
the Almighty bless you Amen. Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Ella Fisher.
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