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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Elizabeth Alfred <danilomil@t-online.de>
Reply-To: "elizabethalfredd@gmail.com" <elizabethalfredd@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2016 14:20:46 +0200 (MEST)
Subject: Beloved
Beloved
With Due Respect And Humanity, I was compelled to write to you under a
humanitarian ground ,I am Mrs. Elizabeth Alfred. 64yrs old woman my husband
and I worked with Tallow oil Cote d Ivoire before he died seven years ago,
I am writing you this message via a computer lap top on my sick bed at the
hospital were I am undergoing medical treatment I have been diagnosed of
Endometrial cancer unfortunately for me, my doctor said I don't have any
chance to survive except by a miracle I have spent a lot of money on
medical treatment yet no improvement. The reason why I am writing you this
letter is because I want you to stand as beneficiary to the sum of my
$3.5Million (Three million five hundred thousand united states dollars) I
don't have any biological child of my own who will inherit this Fund
neither do I have any adopted child My relatives and friends have plundered
so much of my wealth since my illness and I cannot live with the agony of
entrusting this huge responsibility to any of them anymore. Expecting your
urgent response.
Best regards
Mrs.Elizabeth Alfred.

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