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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:
- 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 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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "calvary greetings" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mercy Edward <lottodeptoffice1@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Mercy Edward <mercyedward3@ymail.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2015 10:25:09 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Calvary Greetings
Message From Mrs. Mercy Edward.
Calvary Greetings
Greetings to you, My name is Mrs. Mercy Edward from Switzerland. I am married to Late Mr. stephen Edward. He was the Director of T.C Industries. We were married for years without a child. He died during the political crises. Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last long due to my cancer problem. Before my husband died, there is this sum of $2.6 Million Dollars that he deposited in account with a bank and it was designated for humanitarian services and to propagate the work of God
Presently this money is still in the Vault of the bank where he deposited it. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to good God fearing person that will utilize this fund the way I am going to instruct herein and will use this fund according to the desire of my late Husband to help Less privileged, orphanages, widows and propagating the word of God. I made this decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this fund and I do not want in a way where this money will be used in an ungodly way.
This is why I am taking this decision to hand you over this Fund. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I want you to always remember me in your daily prayers because of my upcoming Cancer Surgery. Any delay in your reply will give me room in searching for another person for this same purpose.
Hoping to read from you .
Yours Sister,
Mrs. Mercy Edward
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Anti-fraud resources:
