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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)
- 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.
- g.williams9071@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Gabriel
Reply-To: <t_gardner90@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 2015 15:26:56 +0800
Subject: Re: Payment of Outstanding
Attention: Message From Mr. Williams To You Did you assign a will of testam=
ent to Alexander Benjamin to receive your ATM Card sum of $10.5 Million dol=
lars on your behalf he sent a notification to this Bank that you died in an=
auto crash few weeks ago and also have assigned him as the sole beneficiar=
y to your unclaimed fund of $10.5 Million Dollars. Get back to us immediate=
ly confirming this fact if truly you are still alive but if we did not hear=
from within 72rhs,we have no option than to release the ATM Card to your n=
ext of kin Alexander Benjamin . reply to ( g.williams9071@yahoo.com.hk ) Ho=
ping to hear from you Mr. Gabriel Williams
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Anti-fraud resources:
