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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:
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: <ni4@afrav.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <mercyedward41@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 11:21:40 +0200
Subject: RE YOUR FAMILY INHERITANCE
Greetings! I sincerely apologize if i interfered to your privacy, I am Merc=
y Edward. a citizen of South Africa. I would like to discuss a serious matt=
er with you concerning some amount of money that belongs to a customer who =
happens to have the same family name as yours. The fund is now without clai=
m because he died in a deadly earthquake in China the year 2008. I am seeki=
ng therefore your cooperation so as to make the security firm send you the =
fund as the rightfully beneficiary/next of kin to the fund in mutual benefi=
t to both of us. This proposal is very confidential as I expect your respon=
se as soon as possible. Quickly get back to me with your contact details fo=
r more explanation on this issue. At the receipt of your reply, I will give=
you details of the transaction. And a copy of the Deposit certificate of t=
he fund with the security firm. Thanks in advance, Mercy Edward
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Anti-fraud resources:
