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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "TONY OBI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tonyobi598@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2015 00:17:26 +0100
Subject: UN diplomatic agent (Your consignment box)
Attention
I'm Agent Tony Obi, the UN diplomatic agent conveying your package
consignment from West Africa right now i am at the JFK International
Airport, USA. I have been trying to reach you on your phone some hours
ago, just to inform you about my successful arrival to your country,
with your package box of consignment worth $5.5M Dollars which I have
been instructed by Global Freight Delivery Company to be delivered to
you. But is quite unfortunate that your information giving is not corret and
i decide to write you through email for immediate action and
reconfirmation of your information to enable me proceed to your nearest
Airport and deliver your package to you.
Get back to me now as soon as possible and reconfirm the below details;
Full Name:
Current Address:
Direct Tel:
Your Nearest Airport:
Identification Card:
Get back to me with the below information so i will proceed to your
destination with your consignment box today.
Regard
Tony Obi.
UN Diplomatic Agent
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Anti-fraud resources:
