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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Freddie Wingate" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <freddiewingate@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2012 11:04:11 +0100
Subject: RE: FUND TRANSFER
Goodday,
I have been waiting to hear from you for some time now. Like I told you earlier, I don't want a hitch to this fund transfer and I have put up arrangement to source for fund which you will use to pay up all the charges that will spring up during the fund transfer. I have concluded with an investor in the US who is ready to fund this project upto its conclusion on the condition that he will get 15% of your fund (15% of your US$8.3Million).
The investor has advised that you setup a Merchant Account with MERCHANT EXPRESS at http://www.merchantexpress.com so as to enable him send the required $100,000.00 needed to complete the processing of your fund.
Congratulations in advance, as you actualize your desired success.
Yours Sincerely,
Freddie Wingate
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Anti-fraud resources:
