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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:
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Comrade Peter Nedu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nedupeter00@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 01:22:32 +0200
Subject: 2/7/2012
Hello,
Compliments,I am Mr Nedu Peter from Zimbabwe and i wish to know your terms and conditions for joint investment with us and the extent of assistance we can get from you as an individual to secure and invest funds in our disposal in your country.I will also be glad to know if you will also assist us to relocate and obtain resident papers in your country. I stay here in South Africa with my step mother and two sisters as asylum seekers after the death of my father whom was a strong critic of president Robert Mugagbe back home
and whom also made this deposit in ABSA bank.I will like to speak with you and will urge you to give me a call on my cell number and also indicate your direct number where i can always keep in steady contact with you as from now until this investment grant is safe in your custody.I will explain how i got your contact and our expectations once i hear from you.Thanks for your anticipated co-operation and always remain blessed.
I await your call.
Yours Peter Nedu
+27717185604
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Anti-fraud resources:
