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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:
- "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- +447035945591 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: Bank OF England <bankengland43@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: bnkofengland@blumail.org
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:23:59 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Payment Update From Bank of England
Account/Foreign Exchange Dept.
Bank of England
Direct Line: +4470359 45591
Office Line: +447005930887
Fax: +447005931447
www.bankofengland.co.uk
Ref: BOE/RET/4556/09
Attention Sir/Ma,
The Account/Foreign Exchange department of Bank of England has been
obligated to contact you for the immediate release of you fund whose
account has be come dormant and subsequently reported/forwarded to my
department as unclaimed fund. our findings has revealed that the
problem behind your inability to have received your fund from the
corresponding bank resulted from lack of transparency, insincerity and
incessant demand for money by your representative for unusual
payments, we have therefore decided to establish as direct payment
system (DPS) with you for the prompt payment of your funds without any
hitch.
We therefore request that you respond to this letter immediately to
enable us proceed with the release of your fund accordingly.
Yours in service,
Mr.Paul Tucker
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Anti-fraud resources:
