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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
Fraud email example:
From: "Lee Jeng" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jenglee46@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 07:07:57 -0500
Subject: company rep needed
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Lee Jeng director of China Metallurgical Import & Export Henan
Company (CMIECHN). We are a company who deal on Furniture, plastic and
export into the Canada/America and Europe. We are searching for
representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our
customers in the Canada/America and Europe as well as making payments
through you to us.
Please if you are interested in transacting business with us we will be
glad. Please contact us for more information, Subject to your satisfaction
you will be given the opportunity to negotiate your mode of which we will
pay for your services as our representative in Canada/America and Europe.
Please if you are interested forward to us your phone number/fax,Means of
identification and your full contact addresses.
Thanks in advance.
Lee Jeng
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Anti-fraud resources:
