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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:
- "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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- 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.
- ochamijad4@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Frank Uba." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ochamijad3@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 00:44:44 +0100
Subject: GOOD NEWS
Dearest Friend,
Compliments of the season and God's blessings from Barrister Frank Uba. I am the Barrister who contacted you long ago, I am very happy to inform you about my success in getting that fund transferred, Now I want you to contact my secretary on the information below:
NAME : MR OCHA MIJAD
EMAIL : ochamijad4@hotmail.com
PHONE : +234 8169463016
Call him immediately with His above direct phone.Ask him to send you the total sum of (800,000.00) Eight Hundred and Thousand usd Cashier's Cheque, which I kept for your compensation contact my secretary on this Email: ochamijad4@hotmail.com
Yours faithfully.
Mrs Frank Uba
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Anti-fraud resources:
