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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:
- "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.
- seritaminer22@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- _______________________ contact me on my email: (seritaminer22@gmail.com or seritaminer@yahoo.com ) (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Serita Miner" <emmarobot11@gmail.com>
Reply-To: seritaminer@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2015 02:10:05 -0800
Subject: Greetings from Mrs. Serita Miner
Greetings from Mrs. Serita Miner
I`m Mrs. Serita Miner, 63yrs old from United Kingdom, But live in
Ghana affected with
cancer of the breast. My condition is really deteriorating and is
quite obvious that I may
not live more than 2 weeks, because the cancer stage has gotten its
3rd stage. After my Doc
Notice, I have decided to divide part of my fortune, by contributing
to the Charities &
Motherless. I am willing to donate the sum of (US$3.5M) (Three
Million, Five hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) to the poor through you. Can you help
me? I need is from
you please
Full name: ___________________________
Full Address: _________________________
Nationality: ____________________
Mobile Number: ____________________
E-mail address: _______________________
Occupation: __________________________
Country _______________________
Contact me on my email: (seritaminer22@gmail.com or seritaminer@yahoo.com )
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Anti-fraud resources:
