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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Garry michael " <"www."@fine.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Garry michael " <officemailfile47@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2017 07:44:18 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION, DEAR VALUED CITIZEN
I 'M CONTACTING YOU NOW BASE ON ISSUE IN MY OFFICE THIS MORNING BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT FILE WHICH CONTAIN YOUR $4.5M WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY THE BANK OF AFRICA HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC WHO ORDERED ME TO SIGN THE CANCELLATION OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND I ASKED HIM WHY AND HE SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED AND ALWAYS INSULT HIM BECAUSE THEY TOLD YOU TO PAY $175 TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND.
SO I DECIDED TO WRITE YOU BECAUSE I FOLLOWED THE LAW AND I WILL NOT BE AGAINST ANYBODY IN THIS WORLD AND I THINK THAT MAYBE HE HAS A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH YOU.
I HAVE NOT TOUCH YOUR PAYMENT FILE UNTIL I HEAR FROM YOU THIS MORNING BECAUSE I HAVE A HUMAN SYMPATHY.
SO MY DEAR I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND IF YOU STILL NEED TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THEN I WILL TELL YOU WHERE YOU WILL SEND THE $175 AND HAVE THIS FUND SEND TO YOU THROUGH MY POWER.
YOUR URGENT REPLY IS NEEDED.
THANK,S
Garry Michael
CHIEF JUSTICE
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Anti-fraud resources:
