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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "ccuk@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
Fraud email example:
From: "Euro Coca Cola Award Promotion" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ccuk@live.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:21:38 -0000
Subject: YOUR SELECTED ON 2010 COCA COLA INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION!!!
COCA COLA INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION
AVENUE STAMFORD BRIDGE LONDON.
SW1V 3DW UNITED KINGDOM
Coca-Cola Donation PINCODE: *F6547980*
Qualification number: F-910-5986
Congratulation winner,
Your email address has won a free donation E-cash prize of 500,000.00 GBP in the 1st quarter Promotion 2010 Coca Cola International L Email draw.
It is pending for your collection kindly contact the below information for claim.
Contact Miwes Jem
E-mail: ccuk@live.com
Tel:0044-871-237-3008
Details required for verification.
First Name:
Last Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Country:
Age:
Occupation:
Marriage Status:
Cell Phone Number:
Once again congratulation on Euro Millionaire Coca Cola free donation 1st quarter promotion 2010.
Thanks
Liss Miller
Information Officer
Euro Coca Cola Award Promotion.
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Anti-fraud resources:
