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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:
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ms. Jenny Sui" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jennysui83@yeah.net>
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 03:26:27 -0200
Subject: Re: Re: I Received Your Email
Hi Friend,
Once again I'm Jenny Sui and was the account officer for Mr. Bo Xilai, former minister of commerce of the People's Republic of China who was convicted for life imprisonment for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power on Sept. 22, 2013. Kindly see below link for more information.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90785/8406344.html
Mr. Bo Xilai deposited the sum of $10.5m USD (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars only) with our bank. Unclaimed funds after 3 years of any dormant account in our bank will be subject to confiscation.
Our bank will be carrying out our yearly auditing and I cannot be directly connected to this money. I kindly request your assistance to claim the funds amount and thereafter will meet with you for my share.
You can send me the below information.
i) Your full name
ii) Contact address
iii) Age
iv) Occupation
v) Marital status
vi) Direct telephone number
vii) Country of origin
upon receiving the above information I will give you directives to follow
I await your immediate response.
Best regards,
Ms. Jenny Sui
Bank Of China.
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Anti-fraud resources:
