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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 "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mabel Robert" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mabrobert91@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2018 02:14:37 -0700
Subject: ***SPAM*** Awaiting your urgent reply.
My is name Mrs.Mabel Robert but right now undergoing medical treatment in the hospital now. I am married to late Eng. Jowel Robert who worked as a contractor in oil and gas firm before his death occur two years ago, We were married for twenty five years without a child before my late husband dead he made his last wishes that we will use our fix deposit to help the less privilege as we do not have any child that will inherit it.
l have decided to divide to contact you to help me carryout my late husband wishes in your country as i can't be able to do so due to my health condition,by contributing to the Charities & Motherless. I am willing to donate the sum of $7,450,000.00 USD to the poor through you.
Thanks
Mrs.Mabel Robert
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Anti-fraud resources:
