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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:
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- johnchaplain11233@yahoo.com.ph (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "John Chaplain" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnchaplain11233@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 12:15:34 -0500
Subject: ONE UNREAD MESSAGE
Hello Dear,
I am a banker by profession from London United Kingdom and currently holding the post of director Auditing and accounting unit of the bank.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over Funds ($12,850,000.00 million USD) of one of my bank clients (Mr Halley) who died Along with his entire family in a plane crash.
All expenses incurred by you and me in this transaction will be deducted out from the 10% of the total fund before the sharing of the fund according to the percentages agreed.
Please I want you to understand that a stitch in time saves nine so write back and tell me if you really want to carry out this transaction with me.
I sincerely need your help because this might be my first and last opportunity of hitting big money. I also would want you to treat this affair as both urgent, top secret and confidential.
I want you to also know that this transaction will involve some expenses which will be shared among both of us.
You can copy the website and past to confirm.
http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/4537663.stm
Best Regards,
John Chaplain
Reply:to: johnchaplain11233@yahoo.com.ph
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Anti-fraud resources:
