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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: Lisa Dokie <lisadokie214@att.net>
Reply-To: lisadokie@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2011 20:19:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Greetings From Lisa!
Hello
Â
I saw your e mail address in forwarded page so i decided to extend my
felicitations to you. Presently i can not really specify what prompted
my drive to write but i did have the mind that you could be a nice
person. I have the interest to meet people from out side my continent
and felicitate It is my believe that there are nice people out there who
can appreciate the values of friendship. Personal I might not be very
beautiful physically like most ladies in your country but I think I have
the beauty of the mind, which is more valuable to me.Please write me if
you can. I am single and focus. I wouldn’t say i am good but will leave
that to you to find out with time. As allowing others to access you is a
humble act...
Hope to receive a message from you. It will be very much appreciated getting to know you
much better and share our experience and good wills about our respective continents.
I will appreciate as well if you will send me one of your picture to me in your next
mail and i will send you mine. With due respect i ask, do tell me some briefs about you.
Your love life, what you do appreciate in a woman in general and your dislikes. Lest I
forget I am not a white lady rather simply colored and wish you do not mind as I have
the concept that we all are the same irrespective of our colors. The inner person to me
is most important, friendships to me is a right of all humans and if properly inclined
could add to once happiness...My greetings to all your good and loving family were ever
you Live. Please do write me back soonest I will appreciate from the dept of my heart..
Your friend,
Lisa Dokie
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Anti-fraud resources:
