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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:
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "mrslarapauls@live.com" (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 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.
- rwilliams963@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Lara Paul" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrslarapauls@live.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:24:30 +0100
Subject: >My Kind Appreciation To You, Contact Mr. Richard Immediately..
Dearest,
With great thanks to your past efforts, am glad to inform you that I have finally and successfully transferred the $30.5 Million US Dollars under the co-operation of a new financier/partner. Kindly contact Richard Williams via his
direct email ( rwilliams963@yahoo.com ) and instruct him to send your bank draft of $1.500.000.00 which I kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and
attempts to assist me in this matter, besides you should reconfirm your below information to him, to enable him be sure of you and send the bank draft to you through a reliable courier service as I've instructed him to do for a safe
delivery:
1. Your full name.
2. Your phone number.
3. Your full contact address.
Thank you very much my dear and keep doing well and believe that you have a very good reward for it as I remain your bosom friend.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Lara Paul.
Reply To: mrslarapauls@live.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
