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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:
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: mary freeman <maryfreeman@hiillo.com>
Reply-To: maryfreeman4m@live.com
Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 11:07:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Hello
Hello My Dear .
I am Mary Freeman. from Liberia, my late father Mr Morris Freeman was
killed during the on going war in Liberia On one cold evening when we
were relaxing in our house in Hebel town in Liberia, the labels entered
my father house and went straight to his room shot him on his leg as he
was trying to escape through the fence of the house. Before they turn
to me and my sister and forced us to rape after they began to trace my
father.
My father was rushed to the government hospital for treatment, it was
there he now disclose to me that because he was the head of the Finance
Department of Firestone Rubber Plantation at this hour he decide to
tell me where he deposited some money in security company Is Only me
and his lawyer know where this money was kept, please your urgent
responses is highly needed All i need is for you to help me to transfer
this money and to come over there to meet you for business planning if
you still insisted. please contact me direct to my box or you can call
me through the Reverend JOE number +221 771 499 501 and tell him you
want to speak to Mary he will send for me immediately in the hostel to
come and answer your call.
thank you for your understanding,
Yours faithful,
Mary Freeman.
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Anti-fraud resources:
