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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 "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- 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.
- onukwuo102@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MR MICHEAL PAUL <jerry@rewardinvestments.com>
Reply-To: onukwuo102@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 10:53:47 -0700
Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT
I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds
transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from Paraguay.
Presently I'm in Paraguay for investment projects with my own share of
the total sum.
meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me
in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.
I have raised a certified ATM CARD in your name to the tune of
$3,500.000.00, United States Dollars for you. Now contact Mr Tom Morris
with the following information (1) YOUR FULL NAMES (2) YOUR HOUSE
ADDRESS (3) COUNTRY (4) YOUR DIRECT CELLPHONE NUMBER and instruct him on
where to send the the ATM CARD to you. His email-address is
(onukwuo102@gmail.com) Phone: +234-8032111544. Even my current partner
is not happy that I have to allocate such amount to you bearing in mind
your nonchalant attitude towards the transaction at its crucial stage.
I am very busy here because of the investment projects which I and the
new partner are handling, So feel free to get in touch with Mr Tom
Morris. THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT.
Micheal
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Anti-fraud resources:
