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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Melinda Burns <mrsmelindaburns@cantv.net>
Reply-To: mrsmelindaburns@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:11:38 +0100 (BST)
Subject: From Mrs Melinda Burns.
From Mrs Melinda Burns.
Dear Beloved.
I am Mrs Melinda Burns, I saw your contact and i am much intrested in you and i will like you to write with your private email address as i have very important thing to talk with you for our both benefit and betterment. I am married to Mr Robert Burns who worked with South Africa Embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died. We were married for fifteen years without a child. he died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were living together in good harmony. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $4.5 Million (FOUR MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) in the Bank here in Spanish bank. I can not handle the transaction due to i am very sick and the doctors advise that i need to have enough rest. I am sending you this message from the hospital where i am admitted.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall get back to you with the detail. I am going to give you 20% of the total sum.
Waiting for your urgent reply,
Regards,
Mrs Melinda Burns.
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Anti-fraud resources:
