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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:
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Emmanuel Iwu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mriwu00@qq.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:28:36 -0300
Subject: REPLY
It might be a shock to you reading from me now. I am a B a n k e r my names are Mr. Emmanuel Iwu from U n i t e d B a n k for A f r i c a (U B A), and a private account officer to my late customer, a countrywide of your nation, He was a service provider worked with an oil business here in Nig.
generally, I wouldn't have contacted you but for the simple fact is that I am looking for the possible recipient to the d e p o s i t e d money of my d e p a r t e d customer, whose untaken money are left with the B a n k valued US
$10.5 million. I have been ordered by the B a n k to provide the next of kin within the next 7days or consider the f u n d confiscate.
I am writing you following an opportunity in my position that will be of great benefit to us as you are bearing the same last surname name with my late client and I wish you not to countenance this offer.
Further explanatory details shall be made known to you upon your response.
Mr Emmanuel Iwu
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Anti-fraud resources:
