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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- 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.
- patrickagukaa@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: PATRICK AGUKA <patrickagukaaa@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: patrickagukaa@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 9 May 2010 04:43:57 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: BE THE NEXT OF KIN.
Mr.Patrick Aguka
Contact me with:patrickagukaa@yahoo.com
Tell: 234-1-7433361
Attn:Sir
My Dear Friend
Permit me to introduce myself, my name is Mr. Patrick Aguka.I work with
Afri Bank of Nigeria as (Senior Accountant),in the discharge of my
duty,I stumbled on this domiciliary account that has remained dormant
for three years now with US$14.5M (Fourteen Million FiveHundred
Thousand United States Dollars) on it with account name Mr. Barry
Kelly.
I made enquiries and discovered that the account holder died in an
accident.I am writing you so that we can work together to remit this
money to you as the next of kin because this money belong to a
foreigner and has to be claimed by a foreigner. If I hear from you, I
will tell you all you need to do.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please reply to my private e-mail: patrickagukaa@yahoo.com
Best Regards,
Patrick Aguka.
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