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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)
- "into your nominated 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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "BARRY MOORE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barr.mooredip@outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2017 12:50:32 +0100
Subject: YOUR FUND HAS BEEN APPROVED
Attention :
Good day to you and how are you doing today? this is just to inform and
congratulate you that your payment file has been re-directed for immediate
release to you with out any further delay.
More so i am to make it clear to you that it going to cost you the total sum
of $65 only to get your inheritance funds of $12
million transfer directly into your nominated Bank Account without any further
delay.
Finally please i am giving your my %100 assurance that as soon as you are able
to make availability for the $65 your inheritance funds of $12 million will
hit your Nominated Bank Account without any further delay as informed earlier
so i am giving you my words as a God fearing somebody and i assure you that
success will surely be your at the end of this transaction.
Below is the cashier information which you are to use in sending the $65.
Receivers name:...Edem Akpan
Address:......Lagos Nigeria
Text Question:...what Colour
Text Answer:.....Green
Amount:....$65
As soon as you are able to send the $45 your Inheritance funds of $12 million
will hit your Nominated Bank Account within the next 48 hours after your
payment confirmation here in our office.
Barry Moore
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Anti-fraud resources:
