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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Muhammadu Buhari" <zc@jasonchina.com>
Reply-To: presidentbuhari101@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 03 Sep 2016 23:34:23 -0700
Subject: ATTN: BENEFICIARIES
Attn:
I have good news for you regarding your payment. After my return from Kenya for the Africa Economic Summit, we agreed that all foreign debts /payment will be paid to beneficiaries without requesting any documents from them.
I want to inform you that your money has been loaded in a Master Card which you can use in any Automated Teller Machine (ATM Card) to withdraw a maximum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) daily until you are able to withdraw all your money. Also this medium of payment is safe and your funds will never be intercepted or stop by any agency and you will never be charged for money laundering.
You are required to provide your house address and direct phone number so that upon the arrival of our delivering agent at your house he will call you to hand over the parcel to you because delivering agent is traveling today.
Urgently provide your Home address and telephone number so that your atm card will be delivered. No delivery fee is required.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
President Elect.
Muhammadu Buhari
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Anti-fraud resources:
