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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:
- ",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 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.
- 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.
- mrsmaryokon2012@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MRS MARY OKON <mrsmaryokon01@ws-loei.ac.th>
Reply-To: <urgentmatter2014@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:40:18 -0800
Subject: Minister of Finance Federal Republic of Nigeria
--
Am mrs Mary Okon senior secretary to Minister of Finance Federal
Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala am glad to inform you that
you has being chosen as beneficiary in the ongoing compensation by
federal government of Nigeria. For your advice now, its time you stop
being deceived by any body anywhere around the world of money coming to
you. Your fund was successfully cleared for payment last month and to be
released to you before the end of the month to enable us present our
financial report to federal Government.
Without wasting time much i want you to forward your below information
to transfer or deliver an ATM card to you or open an online banking
system for you to make withdrawal by self. Your full name: Current
Residential Address: Telephone Home and Mobile: and you Id Card or
passport:. Note that your approved fund is US$5,000,000.00
Get back to me on my contact below very urgent, we don't have much time
again.
mrsmaryokon2012@rocketmail.com
+2348124699030
Your quick respond is demanded.
With much love.
Mary Okon.
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