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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.
- 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)
- "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "monrovia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Alex Duke" <azam.baani@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.alex.duke1@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 10:42:26 +0000
Subject: reply
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*Hello,I am seeking your help to be my foreign partner for investment in
your country, if you can assure me safety and trust of the funds as it
enters your country. I humbling appreciate your time to go through this
proposal. My name is Mr. Alex Duke from Monrovia, Liberia the son of former
special assistance to the President, who was killed by rebels. I came to
know you in my Private Search for a reliable and reputable person to handle
this project. I write you this letter in good faith as it pleases you.My
later father deposited the sum of Twenty Million Dollars in a bank for safe
keeping. So I need a foreign trusted person who will help me to invest this
funds into any lucrative business.Absolutely, I am writing to seek your
assistance as a faithful person to stand and accept to receive this funds
in your country as my foreign partner and my co-beneficiary of this
funds.Mr. Alex Duke*
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Anti-fraud resources:
