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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- mr_vcheng51@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Vincent Cheng" <info_vcheng009@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: mr_vcheng51@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:16:51 +0500 (PKT)
Subject: Private And Urgent!
Good Day,
I am Mr. Vincent Cheng, Chairman of the HSBC. I am contacting you
concerning a deseased customer Gen Saber Mohammed Saber, a businessman who
died without declaring any next of kin in his official papers in my Bank.
The above facts underscores my reason to seek your permission to have you
stand as the next of kin to the deceased investor. I have all the legal
Banking details of my client that will facilitate our putting you forward
as the beneficiary of the funds and ultimately transfer of the
$30,500.000.00USD to you. We share the proceeds 60/40.
All confirmable documents to back up the claims will be made available to
you as soon as I receive your reply via (mr_vcheng51@yahoo.com.hk).
Mr. Vincent Cheng.
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Anti-fraud resources:
