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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Barrister Eric Thompson <warmkenneth@gmail.com>
Reply-To: eric.thompson01@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2015 08:34:04 -0500
Subject: Contact my secretary
Dear Friend,
How are you doing I hope all is well with you and your family? I didn’t
forgot your past effort and attempts to assist me to receive my funds, I’m
happy to inform you that I have succeeded in getting those funds
transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from London. Now am in
London with my own share of the funds for investment so feel free to get in
touch with my secretary for your own share.
Contact my secretary asks him for (US$2.7 MILLON USD) I signed the fund in
bank draft for your compensation.
His name is Mr. Prince Johnson
Email: mr.prince_johnson3385@outlook.com
Telephone number: +27-748-204-139
He will send you the bank draft without any delay. Contact him with the
below information’s.
Your full name..........................
Your contact/address....................
Your telephone number...................
Do let me know as soon as you receive your bank draft.
Yours Faithful
Barrister Eric Thompson
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Anti-fraud resources:
