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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million dollars" (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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- af.developmentbank@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Offc AAK <tnommm02@outlook.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2018 13:07:52 +0000
Subject: Dear Sir/ Ma.
Dear Sir/ Ma.
Greetings
My name is Thomas Johnson from African Development Bank South-Africa; I got your email ID from the files of our late client Mr. William Bush one of South Africa Government road contractor
who collapsed and dead since seven years ago in our Bank hall while he was depositing money into his account and since past seven years know body has come up for the claim of his USD$18.5million Dollars, Now I decided to contact the email ID which I saw in his files to see if anyone can respond to it as his relative to Inherit the funds because from the files he left know name as Next Of Kin
As the Management of our bank has instructed me to seek for his relatives or the funds will be transfer into the Government Treasury Account as unclaimed funds, if you're available to the EmailID you have to contact our Bank only on :( af.developmentbank@accountant.com ) to enable us to transfer the funds across to you.
Best Regard
Thomas Johnson
Accountant of African Development Bank.
+27785175185
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Anti-fraud resources:
