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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:
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- mr.gregifeanyi@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Nobert Ofordike" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.gregifeanyi@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 17:11:32 -0700
Subject: Breaking News
Breaking News,
This is to bring to your notice that the UN Organization to the IMF With the Nigeria Government have approve to Compensate 6
scam victims and you are among to receive an ATM MASTER CARD loaded with $48,900,000.00.;
and we have been wait for you since to contact us about your ATM Card which
have been register in SPEED TRUST delivery Company for onward delivery to
you due to the misplacing and wrong address giving to us that is why you
have not yet received your ATM card delivery the untied nation embassy
your country sign with SPEED TRUST delivery company to dispatch the ATM Card for your
compassion effort your address is needed. because ATM Card content is
2.7million,have 1 month to go into Government purse,
contact SPEED TRUST
FOR the delivery of your ATM Card to your home contact them with
Information below.SPEED TRUST Person contact;
Contact Person: frank OBI
Office Number: +234-9099077082
Contact Email mr.gregifeanyi@gmail.com
And I did not pay their official keeping fees since.They refused and the
reason is that they do not know when you are going to contact them and
demur rage might have increased
Best Regards.
Mr.Fred Mark
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