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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- sanusilam401@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Robert S. Mueller III" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sanusilam401@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 20:08:08 -0400
Subject: Important FBI information
ATTENTION FUND BENEFICIARY,
There is a pending transfer of US10.5M in your favour with Bank of America waiting for certification before transfer is
fully effected into your account.
Kindly reconfirm the following details to receive credit to your account in 24hrs.
1) Full Names:
2) Address and Country:
3) Phone number:
You are to respond to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria due to the fact that the funds is originated from Nigeria
via email address: sanusilam401@gmail.com using code 210 as the subject.
This is only for security reasons.
We will be tracking every move of the Governor to ensure smooth credit into your account.
Best regards,
Robert S. Mueller III
Executive Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, D.C.
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Anti-fraud resources:
