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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:
- "transferred into your bank account" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "MAIL FROM OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mdukofficemail@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 May 2016 01:37:26 -0500
Subject: RE//May //2016
FROM: Geoffrey Walmsley
DATE: May 2016
Dear Sir
It is my pleasure to inform you that our long pending investment funds
transfer has been approved for direct wire transfer by the depositors bank into your bank account.
Our investment funds US$95M will be transferred into your bank account
on our completion of the legal procedures with the legal department of the bank and you will personally endorse and witness the final wire transfer into your bank account by next week.
I look forward for your quick and urgent response.
Yours faithfully,
Mr.Geoffrey Walmsley
Payment Coordinator
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Anti-fraud resources:
