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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:
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- victormillero@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Victor Miller" <millervictor@itimes.com>
Reply-To: victormillero@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 17:28:27 +0300 (EEST)
Subject: Invetsment
Sir,
I saw your listing in the site and was impressed hence my resolve to
contact you for Investment purposes.
My name is Barr. Miller Victor and i am a staff of Anderson and Millers
Associates.
I have a client whom I am representing and she has asked me to solicit for
a reputable person that will participate in investing a huge sum of fund
which has been set aside for direct investment overseas and she intends to
invest this huge sum in your country.
I will inform you of your remuneration in participation when i receive
your mail and for future correspondence, I advice that you contact me via
my private email address which is: victormillero@gmail.com
I will wait to receive your email.
Regards,
Victor
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Anti-fraud resources:
