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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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 united states 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)
- ",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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- mrs.elenariccardo@dr.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Elena Abraham" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <henksbeltmanfinancialhome@outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 20:01:09 +0100
Subject: My Dear Beloved
My Dear Beloved in the Lord,
Good day to you and your family, My Name is Mrs. Elena Abraham, a national of Russia and
am married to late Dr.Abraham who was an Oil Merchant an international businessman.Before
he died in the year 2001 after a brief illness that lasted for only five days.
We were married for Seventeen years with a daughter (Lillian)who later died in an
Automobile accident. Before the Untimely death of my husband we were both born again
Christians. Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my
Matrimonial home which the Bible is against.When my late husband was Alive he deposited
the sum of ($18,000,000.00 USD) Eighteen Million United States Dollars with a Bank in
India,if u are interested please write me back.
Email: mrs.elenariccardo@dr.com
Have a Blessed Day.
Your Beloved Sister
Mrs. Elena Abraham
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Anti-fraud resources:
