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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- steveadamoshiomhole@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ex- Governor Adams Oshiomhole." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <steveadamoshiomhole@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2017 01:03:19 -0800
Subject: Dear sir,
From The Desk of : Ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole,
Private Email: steveadamoshiomhole@gmail.com
Private phone:+ 44 7452262766
Fax:+ 44 0872 331 2717
Dear sir,
Urgent And confidential
I am Steve Oshiomhole, the former governor of EDO STATE NIGERIA. I need a reliable and honest person to handle a very confidential transaction,
which involves a huge sum of money and to seek for a partner who can invest the fund in a good business of his or her own choice but shall give me returns or
profits after investments.
Be informed that the fund shall be conveyed to you by diplomatic means of delivery to avoid any trace of any kind and I shall be oblige to explain more details once I hear from you and to inform you of the amount involved.
I am assuring you100% risk free involvement. Your share would be 30% of the total amount. While the rest 70% would be for me which I can invest in your
country.
Kindly get back to me immediately.
Best Regards.
Ex- Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
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