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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.
- mrharrybensons@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Harry Benson" <mrharryben3333@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrharry.benson@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2014 13:48:31 +0100 (CET)
Subject: REF: INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE
REF: INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE
My name is Mr. Harry Benson; I work with the Capital investment company
here in UK, The owner of this fund is an American Military who died at
Afghanistan war and there is no next of kin, My aim of contacting you is
to collaborate with me to transfer the sum of ($15.5 Million
dollars)fifteen Million five hundred thousand dollars into your personal
bank account in your country of origin for investment purposes.
I am going to invest this money in your country through your assistance
and help, whereby you are going to be my Invest Manager. Please when
replying I want you to tell me the type of investment that will be
encourage for us to invest the fund so that we can talk about the
conditions email me back to this email address for further details.
(mrharrybensons@yahoo.com)
Thanks and yours
sincerely,
Mr. Harry Benson
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Anti-fraud resources:
