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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:
- "dear friend" (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 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.
- cindysnell1010@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- your behalf. contact person: mrs. cindy snell email: cindysnell1010@gmail.com +229-694-459-56 regards. mr. fredrick ibee email: (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Fredrick Ibee" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cindysnell1010@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2019 01:24:31 -0800
Subject: Contact my secretary For your US$850,000 USD
Dear Friend
Contact my secretary For your US$850,000 USD
been your compensation fund for your effort
to assist me in the past Though we did not
succeed then. But with the help of a new
partner from United States i was able to
complete the project.
I decided to compensate you with this little
amount US$850,000 for your effort to assist
me in the past feel free to contact my
secretary with the below information as stated
for your compensation i left in her desk on
your behalf.
Contact person: Mrs. Cindy Snell
Email: cindysnell1010@gmail.com
+229-694-459-56
Regards.
Mr. Fredrick Ibee
Email: fredibee1@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
