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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- barristerprosper@mail15.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Barrister Prosperosike <barristerprosper@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 12:41:51 +0000
Subject: hello /
Hello,
My name is prosper osike lawyer to Mr. Pavel Steven a citizen of your
country working with Oil Company here in Togo. I and Mr. Pavel Steven
had a car accident which he lost his life. Before his death in the
hospital where we were admitted he told me the sum of $6,000,000
Million Dollars he deposited in the bank he gave me your email address
and instruct me that if it happened that he did not survive that I
should contact you with this email and help you for the money to be
transferred to your account and he told me that you are his relative.
He gave me the deposit certificate he used in depositing the money in
the bank he instructed that after the transfer of the money to your
account you should give $1,000.000 to the motherless home in your
country and $200.000 to me for my compensation, it is unfortunate that
Mr. Pavel Steven did not survive. I have been in hospital for the past
one year because of my broken legs now I have recovered I have
contacted you to claim the money. To proceed I will submit application
to the bank on your behalf so provide your full name and address for
the application and to change the beneficiary of the money in your
name. I guarantee you that it will be done under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please
reply me directly here; [barristerprosper@mail15.com ]
Thanks and God bless!
BARRISTERS PROSPER OSIKE.
LOME REPUBLIC OF TOGO.
TELEPHONE. +228 97667307
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Anti-fraud resources:
