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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:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "energysa@gala.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Lucky Kunene" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <energysa@gala.net>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:42:09 +0200
Subject: needed
Mr.Lucky Kunene
Department of Minerals&Energy
South Africa.
Email:energysa@gala.net
Good Day,
I am Mr.Lucky Kunene,a director of the department of minerals and energy affairs in South africa.I
am currently in need of a silent foreign partner whose identity we can use to transfer the sum of
$14,500,000(fourteen million five hundred thousand united states dollars.This money is presently
in a domiciliary account and is from an (OVER INVOICED) of Multi Billion Dollas contract awarded
to foreign firm here in South Africa in preparation of the 2010 Fifa Football World Cup to be hosted
by South Africa. If intrested, send me an email so i can give you the full details and i have the deposit
document in my possession.
I await your urgent reply.
Best Regards
Mr. Lucky Kunene
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Anti-fraud resources:
