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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "diplomatic courier" ("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.
- 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.
- usofficeline@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MCNAMARA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usofficeline@gmail.com >
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2015 00:39:29 -0700
Subject: <<<<< PLEASE YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHTLY NEEDERD~<^><~^*$
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgcolor=#FFFFFF leftmargin=5 topmargin=5 rightmargin=5 bottommargin=5>
<FONT size=2 color=#000000 face="Arial">
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>Dear friend,</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>I hope my email meets you well, I am (CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MCNAMARA) U.S. soldier in Afganistan. I'm writing you this email to ask for your consent to receive the sum of 15Million dollars on our behalf.</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>My partner and I need a good partner,someone we can trust to actualize this venture. The money is from oil proceeds and its legal and we are transferring it via the safe passage of a diplomatic courier.</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>If you are interested please reply to my private email (usofficeline@gmail.com) Once you receive the funds, you are to take a reward of 30% and keep our part. If you have a good business plan, we can invest our share in your company too.</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>We seek your utmost confidentiality in this business transaction. We await your response and wish to furnish you with more comprehensive details.</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>Email.</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B> </B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>Kind Regards,</B></DIV>
<DIV>
<B>CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MCNAMARA</B></DIV>
</FONT>
</BODY></HTML>
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Anti-fraud resources:
