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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "MS MARY MABOPETE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mssanpete@frontier.com>
Date: Sat, 5 May 2018 17:05:16 -0700
Subject: HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU
Hello Dear,
Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs. Mary Mabopete married to Vijay Mabopete from Asia who worked with a construction company in Asia for twenty years before he died in the tsunami disasters, we were married but without Any children. Since his death I decided not to remarry and presently I am 89 Years old. When my late husband was Alive he deposited a huge sum of money with the bank.
Presently this money is still with the bank and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or Issue a letter of authorization to company or trusted someone who can receive it on my behalf if I cannot come over due to my age. I am in need of a reliable person that is trustworthy who will use the money for investment while the profit he makes will be used to fund orphanages and also help the poor.
I need your assurance because i want the money to be used to help the needy and poor people around the world.
I await your urgent reply.
Blessings,
Mother Mary Mabopete
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Anti-fraud resources:
