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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:
- "inheritance funds" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "come down to london" (these scammers pretend to be based in the UK, but they are really in Africa)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447045782848 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "JAMES MARK" <burgas@t-online.de>
Reply-To: james_mark500@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2016 04:37:14 -0700
Subject: YOUR DEPOSITED FUND WITH OUR BANK
10:00am Standard Pacific Time, I was alerted by my Secretary that Three men were at my Office Reception waiting to see me and so I told my Secretary to let them in.I had to ask them why they came to see me in person let them in.I had to ask them why they came to see me in person Sum of One Hundred Million Dollars US 100,000,000.00 which rightfully belongs to you, on your behalf.These foreigners actually claimed this beyond reasonable doubts. At this development I asked them who authorized them to come down to London for the Collection of this Payment and they told me that you asked them to come and collect this Funds on your Behalf. Infact this was the biggest shock that this Bank have ever received so far because your Inheritance Funds is still in the British Suspense Account of Global International Bank, yet you sent these men to come and collect this Funds on your behalf without notifying us.We in this Bank do not understand why you sent these men to come and Collect your Funds on your behalf.Kindly clarify us on this issue before we make this Payment to these foreigners whom came on your behalf. In receipt of this confidential Letter, you are required to call our Bank CALL ME ON +44 704 5782 848 +44-330-1330083 SKYPE NAME: THOMPSONGOZI immediately you receive this Confidential Letter.MR.FJAMES MARK.
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