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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:
- "staatclaims@aol.nl" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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: "SPONSORS LOTERIJ" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <staatclaims@aol.nl>
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:01:13 +0100
Subject: Strictly reply with the e-mail that received this notice.
Extract from the notice sent to you reads:
Attn: Email ID Owner,
We're pleased to inform you that your Email made the list of emails
that frequent the Internet by log-on points for 2011/ 2012 online
promotion. Batch nr: SPYU6868 & E-Ref.nr: 5687SPL876,
Your email also progressed to 2nd round of the ballot by making
history as one of 5 emails to receive: 1.000.000.00 Euro each
from the sponsors.
Note: this promotion was done last year & notice sent to your
email but we discovered to our greatest surprise that your prize
money was not claimed. File for claim through:
Alliance Inter.Net Award for further details:
E-mail: staatclaims@aol.nl
Tel: +31- 633 968 651.
Fax: +31- 847 549 511.
Quote your: Batch nr: SPYU6868 / E-Ref.nr: 5687SPL876.
Do send as follows: Your Name / address & Tel. number
for processing/payment.
Mrs. Jane Culhane.
For: The Promotion Mgr.
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Anti-fraud resources:
