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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.
- 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.
- +447031908391 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- british_adoption_agency@yahoo.co.uk (Yahoo, United Kingdom; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Sandra Cook <dorothyfeltman@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <salife222@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:53:25 +0000
Subject: Urgent!!!
British Adoption Agency
60 Merriman Road Blackheath
London SE3 8RZ
England.
Hello,
My name is Sandra Cook, I work for the British Adoption Agency (BAA). I will really love to pass this information to all good, loyal and honest ones that are really willing to take good care of 3 years old girl and 4 years old boy who unfortunately lost their parents 3 weeks ago in a gaslight motor accident along Victoria road London-UK .
The kids are in UK hospital along the same road were the accident accrued and Dr Benedict is taking good care of them because they were also victims of the accident. we shall love a good honest Male or Female mostly a married couple capable accepting the 2 kids and taking good care of them and after some months the UK government will send social worker to check the standard of living you have put the children.
Who ever is willing to take charge of this responsibility will be given the sum of 2.6 million USD by the UK adoption agency to take care of the children to the fullest.
You can contact me at:
Email: british_adoption_agency@yahoo.co.uk
Phone: +44 703 190 8391
If you are interested please notify me so we can proceed in the adoption process.
Yours Solemnly,
Mrs Sandra Cook
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