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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "ukfinancedeptment@live.co.uk" (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 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.
- +447024084948 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR HELEN COLE" <release_fundsintoaccount@live.co.uk>
Reply-To: bbcfinance@yahoo.cn
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:48:22 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Payment.
ATTN: RECIPIENT,
WE WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR FUNDS OF $195,000,000.00 HAVE BEEN
ALREADY PAYED TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN GO AND COLLECT YOUR FUNDS AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
IF YOU ARE READY TO COLLECT YOUR FUNDS,YOU WILL CONTACT US THROUGH OUR
EMAIL ADDRESS:(ukfinancedeptment@live.co.uk)SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO
GIVE YOU YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION TO COLLECT YOUR FUNDS WITHIN THE NEXT
24HRS TIME.
WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY.
YOUR FAITHFULLY,
MANAGING DIRECTOR:
DR HELEN COLE
UK FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Tel: +44 7024084948
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Anti-fraud resources:
