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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- 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.
- mrs.meifenjun590@yahoo.com.sg (Yahoo, Singapore; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- have a great day. reply me through this email : mrs.meifenjun590@yahoo.com.sg or mrs.meifenjun12@yahoo.com.sg sincerely yours, mrs. (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Meifen Jun" <mrs.meifenjun553@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Meifen Jun" <mrs.meifenjun12@yahoo.com.sg>
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 15:02:10 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I Await your urgent response
 Dear Friend,
This message might meet you in utmost surprise, I am Mrs. Meifen Jun a transfer supervisor operations in Zhejiang Tailong Commercial Bank. I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds Fifteen Million three hundred thousand United States Dollars($15.3million) of one of my bank clients "NAME WITHHELD" who died along with his entire family on Wednesday, 20 August 2008 in a plane crash. You can confirm the genuine of the deceased death by clicking on this website http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7572643.stm
Hence; I am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 60/40 if you agree to my business proposal. Further details of the transfer will be forward to you as soon as I receive your return mail.
Have a great day. Reply me through this email : mrs.meifenjun590@yahoo.com.sg or mrs.meifenjun12@yahoo.com.sg
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Meifen Jun
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Anti-fraud resources: