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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)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- alfredmichaelesq@yahoo.co.jp (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "alfred michael" (may be fake)
Reply-To: < alfredmichaelesq@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:10:13 +0200
Subject: RE----------10/08/2010
Attn: Dear Friend,
I am Alfred Michael an attorney at law to the late Mr. Seymour, who died in a car crash with his family here in Lagos on august 21 2001.He left behind a deposit of ($7.41m usd) here in a Finance Security Company and I hereby seek your consent to present you as the next of kin since you have the same last name and I have the documents that would confer you the legal right for the claim. Please get in touch with me via my numbers below or by my alternative email alfredmichaelesq@yahoo.co.jp and send to me your telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further on this transaction which will be done legally and risk free.
Best Regards,
Alfred Michael(Esq.)
+234-80-985-056-76
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This message contains PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL information that is intended only for use by the named recipient. If you are not the named recipient, any disclosure, dissemination, or action based on the contents of this message is prohibited. In such case please notify us and destroy and delete all copies of this transmission. Thank you. ==================================================================================================================================================================================================================
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