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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 united states 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- martinstokpaecowas1@yahoo.com.my (Yahoo, Malaysia; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: martins tokpa <martinstokpa@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: martins tokpa <martinstokpaecowas1@yahoo.com.my>
Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2014 18:23:44 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: from tokpa
Sir/Madam
This is to inform you that The African Union ,and ECOWAS in conjunction with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund has approved that the Sum of Two Million Five    Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ($2,500,000) be released to you this last quarter as compensation on your long over due payment.
Your Personal Identification Number is AUECOWAS /1922. .You are advised to forward the under listed information for verification and immediate release of your payment.
FULL NAME
ADDRESS
CELL PHONE NUMBERS
OCCUPATION
SEX
AGE
COUNTRY
Expecting your urgent response to this order
Yours Faithfully
Mr Martins Tokpa
Co- ordinator
For Ecowas
martinstokpaecowas1@yahoo.com.my
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Anti-fraud resources:
