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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 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.
- 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.
- puyoafatha@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "puyoafatha" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <puyoafatha@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2013 16:37:52 +0100
Subject: PLEASE CONTACT ME URGENTLY FOR THE EXECUTION.
I am Puyo Afatha the project director of the ministry of lands in the Republic de Benin. I am contacting you to receive on my behalf $28,000.000.00 (Twenty Eight Million Dollars) which I generated through over inflated contract award in Benin republic. The funds is now available for release to you immediately you indicate your interest to stand as the beneficiary and receive the funds. The funds will be release to you for us to share in the ratio of 50%/50% without a hitch.
Please get back to me immediately with the following details:
Full Names:
Profession:
Nationality:
Date of birth:
Email address:
As soon as I receive this details from you I will give you more information and with all things in place we should be able to complete the deal within a week.
Please send your response to my private email address: puyoafatha@yahoo.com
Thank you
Puyo Afatha
Email address: puyoafatha@yahoo.com
Benin.
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Anti-fraud resources:
