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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- 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.
- williamsmithwilliamsmith57@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. William Smith" (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 03:50:41 +0100
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam
United Nations Headquarters
New York, NY 10029, USA.
OUR REF: UN568/PAYMENT/APPROVAL.
YOUR REF: UN568/FUND RELEASE/1001900
Dear Sir/Madam
We are humbly using this medium to inform you that your unclaimed payment was recovered from AFRICA and has been approved to be released to you from United States of America.
We have notified the officer in charge to release this funds to you as soon as possible. You are expected to receive your funds from Mr. Mike Hurst of Commercial Chartered Bank here in United States of America, Note that you are expected to contact Mr. Mike Hurst for immediate release of your funds to you. The only person that has the right to release your funds to you is Mr. Mike Hurst
Upon the receipt of your response to this email, We shall forward you the contact information of Mr. Mike Hurst to enable you contact him for immediate release of your funds.
Finally you are adviced to include your contact information including your telephone number in your response to this email.
Reply to this email: williamsmithwilliamsmith57@gmail.com
Have a wonderful day
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. William Smith
Director. United Nations
E-mail: williamsmithwilliamsmith57@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
