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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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Cifoil" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ciffoil@petml.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2011 05:04:00 +0800
Subject: Crude oil deals and Investment.
Hello,
Pardon me for not having the pleasure of knowing your mindset before making you this offer.
I choose to reach you through e-mail, as it is the fastest medium of communication
irrespective of the fact that it has been greatly abused. I deem it necessary to
introduce you to a lucrative business opportunity. I'm talking of crude oil trading!
This is considered as the most legitimate and fastest money making machinery anyone
can setup. We can help you get an oil "lifting license". Anyone that owns a
“lifting license" from the local National Oil Company is entitled to a $2.00
commission from the oil company on each barrel of crude sold to the buyer and
another $1. 00 commission from the buyer. In total, oil lifting license owners
receives a $3.00 commission on each barrel of crude sold by the oil company.
N:B, it is utterly confidential and genuine by virtue of its nature.
Thank you.
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Anti-fraud resources:
