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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:
- "million pounds" (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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
- alexzna@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "ALEX" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alexzna@myway.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 05:24:37 -0600
Subject: Reply
ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO.
REQUEST FOR URGENT TRANSFER
I am Mr. Alexsandrs Sorokins the Manager of Auditing and Accounting department of a prime bank in London, United Kingdom. In my department, I discovered an abandoned sum of £5 Million (Five Million Pounds Sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died in an accident.
I need someone with a foreign account to be able to receive this money, even an empty account can serve to claim this money. Should you be willing to complete this transaction, send to me your private telephone and fax number for easy and effective communication and location on my private email: alexzna@myway.com
As soon as the transfer is concluded you are entitled to 30% of the total fund.
Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you more details on this transaction trusting to hear from you.
I await your response.
Best regards
Mr. Alexsandrs Sorokins
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Anti-fraud resources:
