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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.
- 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.
- mrdesmondwilliamsic3@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr James B. Comey" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrdesmondwilliamsic3@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2014 01:39:31 +0300
Subject: INTERNET CRIME COMPLAINT CENTER REQUIRES YOUR URGENT ATTENTION
INTERNET CRIME COMPLAINT CENTER REQUIRES YOUR URGENT ATTENTION
IC3 U.S (Anti-Fraud Unit)
we fight against fraud, funds delay and impersonation.
Head Office
To Whom It May Concern.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) herein bring to your notice that after the meeting held with some Top Officials of about 76 countries worldwide, it has been pronounced as agreed by Most Higher Authorities of different countries who partake in the World Cyber Crime Campaign that the IC3 should be granted right and privilege to designate a particular strategy that may be used to eradicate the danger related to the usage of the internet world Wide.
Having put into consideration the best strategy to impose for the achievement of this great project, we have decided to have every individual who are privileged to participate in this event gain direct access to our World Data Base and Cyber Monitoring Site, through which they can identify which transaction or email is real and legitimate before getting themselves involved in any transactions online.
So therefore, we sincerely appeal with you to please find a reason to respond to this email with detailed information as regards to any online transaction that you might have been involved in’ for the benefit of proper investigation as to enable us be of guidance to furnish you with accurate information upon which transaction you are to engage yourself.
For Further Enquiries, please feel free to contact the direct email to the International Information Officer ‘Mr Desmond Williams’ mrdesmondwilliamsic3@gmail.com
Respectfully
IC3
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
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Anti-fraud resources:
