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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Michael James" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mjmokmozo@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:40:15 -0200
Subject: INHERITANCE
Greeting Friend,
I am Mr Michael and I am here to seek your co-operation to transfer and re-invest US$20.560 Million in any stable investment with you, these funds came as a result of a depository made by a foreign investor for investment program that has remained dormant for years now, I discovered that the account holder pass away without making a proper will on the depository, also depository of some quantity of Gold.
I would like to transact this business and share the profit with you since the owner has pass away, My intention is to seek your consent to present you as the legal beneficiary of this fund thereafter successful transfer we can share the profit 50% to me and 50% to you kind Self.
I shall make more detail available to you if you have interest in this offer.
Michael.
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Anti-fraud resources:
