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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.
- 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:
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- kennethjmorrison3@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Morrison" <info@samwonsack.co.kr>
Reply-To: kennethjmorrison3@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:54:11 +0300
Subject: VERY URGENT INFORMATION FOR YOUR SAFETY
Dear Beneficiary.
My names are Dr. Kenneth J. Morrison A financial Auditor with the United Nations.
I came across your Inheritance Fund File and confirmed that you have not received your fund and the only and best option by which you can receive your fund without demanding of Charges of any kind and also to avoid traces by the Global Security agencies is by Opening an Indirect Link Server Further Credit Delivery account with Thasis Bank USA.
Now you should get back to me so that i can detail you with the contact of the paying bank so that you can contact them and request for information and guild-lines to open Indirect Link Server Further Credit Delivery account so that we can proceed to deposit your fund into your online account for you to start transferring your funds into any bank account of your choice globally without any problem or traces by the Authorities ok.
Contact me on my Private EMAIL: kennethjmorrison3@gmail.com
I wait for your response so that we can proceed
Regards
Dr Kenneth J. Morrison
United Nations Fund Release Auditor
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Anti-fraud resources:
