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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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: "DIRECTOR FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE" <infofmf_ng2009@yahoo.co.jp> (may be fake)
Reply-To: fmfdirectornnng_2009@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:52:04 +0530 (IST)
Subject: DEAR SIR/MADAM
DEAR SIR/MADAM
I was mandated by the Board of Governors and Head of State Parastatals to
find out before the end of this month, why your over due
contract/inheritance claim payment fund of $25.5 million have not been
credited to your account. Reconfirm your Bank details as follows;
1. FULL NAME AND ADDRESS:
2. CELL/PHONE NUMBERS:
3. AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION:
4. A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION:
5. CONTRACT/CLAIM AMOUNT:
6.YOUR BANK DETAILS:
for reprogramming of your payment as to avoid mistake when seeking for
the EXCHANGE CONTROL ORDER APPROVAL of your fund before our apex Bank will
receive instructions to release your fund to be credited through our
correspondence Bank in Abroad.
Kindly get back to me by call now as you read this message so that proper
verification of your fund can be confirmed as not to be deceived by
scam/fraudsters.
Yours faithfully,
ALIYU ISMAILA
DIRECTOR FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
CENTRAL DISTRICT ABUJA.
+234-803-398-5471
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Anti-fraud resources:
