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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- barrmendizabal1@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barrister Juan Mendizabal" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrmendizabal1@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2014 05:13:56 -0500
Subject: urgent attention needed
Dear sir,
I making this request in good faith believing you will reciprocate my gesture. My name is Barrister Juan Mendizabal, a lawyer based in Spain. I am a Personal
Attorney to Late Engr. Philips who was a wealthy Petrol-chemical engineer before
his death in 2006. I am confiding in you in an urgent matter that relates to a
deposit made by this particular client of mine before he died. I am seeking for
your consent to authorize his bank to remit the sum of $12Million deposited in a
bank to you as his hier . The intended transaction will be executed under legitimate legal manner that will protect you from any breach of law. I will use my position as the client?s attorney to guarantee the successful execution of this transaction. All I require is your understanding and honest cooperation to enable us achieves this enormous goal. I will give you comprehensive details of this transaction when you indicate you interest. Note that you will keep fifty per cent of the proceed for your effort. I want to assure you that there is no risk involve.Please treat this matter as very urgent by responding via my direct private email:barrmendizabal1@yahoo.com I hope to hearing from you soonest.
Your Sincerely
Juan Mendizabal Esq
Abogados Defensores Y Los Profesionales Del Derecho
Calle Merindad de Uribe 7, Spain
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Anti-fraud resources:
