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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:
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "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.
- +447010056819 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Janet Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <attonelsonpowell@msnzone.cn>
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:21:25 +0530
Subject: I Am Mrs. Janet Brown!
Hello,
I am Mrs. Janet Brown, a devoted Christian and I have been diagnosed of cancer a few years ago immediately after the death of my husband who left me everything he had worked for. I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to you for the good work of God rather than allow my greedy relatives to use my husband's hard earned funds in ungodly way. Contact my attorney Mr. Nelson Powell with this specified email: attonelsonpowell@msnzone.cn, +447010056819. telling him that I have WILLED $10,000,000.00 to you because I might not be able to write you again.. My personal reference number with him is law/chamber/solicitors/je/ws/WILL/9834520012.
This mail was sent by one of my PA so please reply to my attorney's email address: attonelsonpowell@msnzone.cn for more details.
Remain Blessed
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Anti-fraud resources:
