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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.
- 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.
- john@accountant.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "United Nations" <unteams200@gmail.com>
Reply-To: robert.b.john@accountant.com
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:18:10 +0200
Subject: GOOD NEWS FOR YOU CHECK
Attn: How are you today and hope all is well with you and your family?You m=
ay not understand why this mail has been sent to you but i will implore you=
to take your time to carefully go through this mail. We have had meetings =
for the pass 7 months which ended 4 days ago at our office head quarters in=
New York(UNITED NATIONS). This email is to all the people that have been s=
cammed in any part of the world,the UNITED NATION has agreed to compensate =
them adequately with the sum of US$ 300,000. This includes every foreign co=
ntractor that has not received their contract sum and people that have had =
unfinished transactions as regards international bank transfers or internat=
ional businesses that failed due to Government problems etc. We found your =
name on our list and that is why we are contacting you.This has been agreed=
upon and has been signed. You are advised to contact Robert.B.John of CONT=
INENTAL BANK BENIN REPUBLIC PLC as he is our representative in Benin Republ=
ic, contact him immediately for your Cheque/International Bank Draft of USD=
$ 300,000. This funds are in a Bank Draft for security purpose,so he will s=
end it to you and you can clear it at any bank of your choice. Therefore yo=
u must ensure to send him your full Name and telephone number current maili=
ng address as regards receiving your draft. Contact:Mr.Robert.B.John immedi=
ately for your Cheque: Person to Contact Mr. Robert.B.John Email: robert.b.=
john@accountant.com Thanks and God bless you and your family.Hoping to hear=
from you as soon as you cash your Bank Draft. Making the world a better pl=
ace. Regards, Ban Ki-moon Secretary-General(UNITED NATIONS)
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