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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:
- "million pounds" (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 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: "MS. MELISSA MILNER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <award_payment_office@lifegate.it>
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2010 16:45:13 +0200
Subject: RE: UNCLAIMED PAYMENT APPROVED..........
The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd.,
The Garden House,
Water End,
York, YO30 6WQ.
We write to notify you that your name was among the
benficiaries whose name appears in our payment list
as the Commission on Unclaimed Money and Assets has
stated clearly to (UK) government that an estimated
£400m Four Hundred Million Pounds Sterling is thought
to be lying unclaimed in various bank accounts in UK
that belong to oversea beneficiaries. view the link
below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5171222.stm.
To enable us proceed with your payment evaluation you
have to (CONTACT REV. JIM MINTON) for more information
with this Payment Code (JFR-PAYMENT/UK/ST-90801).
NAME: REV. JIM MINTON (PAYMENT APPROVED DIRECTOR)
EMAIL: rev_jim_minton@jrf-co-uk.com / info@jrf-co-uk.com
TEL: +44 776 381 4367 Fax: +44 870 479 6992
Yours faithfully,
Ms. Melissa Milner
JRF PRO.
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Anti-fraud resources:
