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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.
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- 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.
- 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.
- officebox262@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: officefile06 <officefile06@cantv.net>
Reply-To: officebox262@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 09:26:52 -0430 (VET)
Subject: CONTACT MY SECETRAY AND CASH YOUR COMPENSATION
My Dearest Friend
I am very happy to inform you about my success in getting that fund
transferred, Now I want you to contact my secretary on the information
below:
NAME: Mr Morgan Morris
EMAIL:officebox262@yahoo.fr
+229 98 99 0458
Ask him to send you the total sum of $1.950 USD which I kept for your
compensation contact my secretary on this Email: officebox262@yahoo.fr
and Also Forward Your Name,Current Address and Your Direct Phone number To him.
Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the
joy after all the sufferies at that time. In the moment,I am very busy here
in London because of the investment projects me and my new partners are
having at hand.
Yours faithfully.
Mr Robert Williams
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Anti-fraud resources:
