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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 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ms. Pauline Allen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paulinehome0142@yeah.net>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:01:18 -0400
Subject: Good Day
Hello Dear.
I am Pauline Allen, 17 years old; I was raise up by a single mother who was a missionary before she died few months ago. My mother was a rich woman,she was also running a crop farm before she died. I am passing through a lot of financial problem due to departure of my mother. She willed all her property and money to me but she told the bank management that before the money will be released to me that I must get to the age of marriage or I will present a guardian been a (woman /man) to the bank, before they can release the money worth $5.7 Million Dollars.
I saw your data on the net and I was ministered in my heart to contact that you are the right person to help me out with this. All I want from you is to stand as my guardian and get the money transferred into your account and then I will come over and start up a good business and complete my education.
Thank you for helping me out.
Pauline
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Anti-fraud resources:
