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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <gm@ledspectrumthai.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2016 08:07:56 -0500
Subject: RE//FINAL ORDER
PRESIDENCY
OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE
AND FINANCIAL MATTERS
RE: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION / FINAL ORDER.
This is to draw your attention of your unclaimed contract payment with the Federal Government and
authorization has been passed to effect the payment on behalf of the Government, the only problem
now is that we have dictated a lot of irregularities attached to your contract payment file.
(1) Did you at any time delegate any person to claim your contract payment on your behalf?
(2) Were you involved in a motor accident?
(3) Are you aware or related to one Mr. Thomas Mick from your country?
Please reconfirm and answer the above questions. An individual called Mr. Thomas Mick came
to our foreign contract payment department and submitted an application that you have authorized
the release of your contract payment of US$52.7M to be paid into a bank account with the
Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS). Account number UBS- 943BDG99. With the report that you
are now paralyzed as a result of the ghastly motor accident occurred last month.
Following the official protocols, you are to forward to us a copy of your Power of Attorney authorizing
Mr. Thomas Mick to effect the contract payment on your behalf as requested.
Thanks for your co-operation
Best Regard
Fred Wilson
Secretary to the Minister of Finance
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Anti-fraud resources:
