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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- g.cooper74042@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "George Cooper" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <g.cooper1@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2017 05:19:59 -0700
Subject: Attention
Attention:
We are directed to confirm if you are aware of a deposit of Twelve Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars ($12,550,000) only made by World Bank Auditors (WBA) in conjunction with United Nations (UN) and Paris Club Creditors (PCC).
The above said fund was meant to be transferred to your bank account as the beneficiary but surprisingly, at the wee hour of today a letter with an attached Power Of Attorney and also an affidavit duly signed by you was forwarded to us by one “Abolghasem Abolghasemi” of No 6 Boluke 5 Faraze 1 O.PG, Kuhsar, Shahran, Tehran Iran. Mobile: 0098-912-176-1916 with Bank information- Bank Melli Shahran Branch Account No: 0308165481009 and Account Card: 6037-9971-7450-1941 claiming to be your next of kin ordering us to credit his account as stated above.
We therefore demand your urgent attention/clarification within 48hrs regarding the submitted application before carrying out the processes/documentation for the final disbursement of the fund.
Yours Faithfully
Mr.George Cooper.
g.cooper74042@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
