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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: "Dhr. A. Verschoor" <averschoor@home.nl>
Reply-To: bhf.org@live.com
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:55:32 +0100
Subject: We moeten echt een praatje!
Hello
Thank God i finally got your contact. Something urgent just came up
and i need your help and opinion as well. I have been in Australia
since November. How have you been? I am sorry i did not reply you last
message. I hope all is well with your family?
I just wanted to let you know that in New South Wales, Australia
people from all over the world are coming forward to claim inheritance
left by distant relatives who left no wills and have no know surviving
relatives. I want you to do the same.
THE PLAN
Money worth at least as much as the economies of several third world
countries is sitting unclaimed in the Australian Federal Government's
consolidated revenue fund.
It is money that could be yours, and you might not even know it. I
have contacted the New South Wales Trustee and Guardian because i
wanted to know how to go about with my own inheritance. I was told
that anybody could apply for the inhertance. All you have to do is
identify yourself and tell them that you are a relative of on of the
deseased person. I want you do come forward as well.
I can help you get this inheritance money. I promise!
This is a once in a lifetime chance and i want you to take advantage of it.
Contact me at once!
Regards,
Dhr. A. Verschoor
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Anti-fraud resources:
