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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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: AGENT ETHEL MCGUIRE <oofffice04@gmail.com>
Reply-To: oofffice01@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2018 04:28:15 -0800
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION VISIT IN NIGERIA
ANTI-TERRORIST MONETARY,CYBER RESPONSE AND CRIMES DIVISION
FBI HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATIONS J.EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING 935 PENNSYLVANIA
AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001
Our Ref: CBN /0N8/CONTRACT NO.856.
To. Beneficiary:
This is Agent Ethel McGuire and we are here in Nigeria as an
FBI/UNITED NATION delegate that have been delegated to
investigate these fraudsters who are in the business of
swindling Foreigners that came for transaction in Nigeria .
Please be informed that during our investigation,we found
out that there is a total sum amount of money $12.5 million
that has been assigned in your name as the beneficiary and
these fraudsters are busy swindling you without any hope of
receiving your fund.
These are the works of the fraud stars who needed to extort
money from you in the name of this transfer.We have to
inform you that we have made some arrested in respect of
this delayed over due fund. I have a very limited time to
stay in Nigeria here so I advise you urgently respond to
this message .
These criminals will be caught unaware and we don't want
them to know this new development to avoid jeopardizing our
investigation,you need to conceal anything that has to do
with this exercise to enable us get all the necessary
information we required.
Note: If by chance you receive this notification in your Spam/Bulk
Folder due to last email receipt,ensure you move this email to inbox
before replying accordingly to avoid return email/failure delivery.
Please KINDLY Reconfirm Your Information Again.
Your Full Name ____
Your Address____
Your Age______
Your City_______
Your State_____
Your Country_____
Your Home phone_______
Your cell phone_______
Your occupation____
Your passport id____
Your Next Kin______
I shall be expecting your swift response as soon as you
receive this email.
Regards.
Agent Ethel McGuire
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