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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:
- "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)
- 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.
- ritagraham777@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rita Graham" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ritagraham777@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2019 13:11:24 -0700
Subject: Can we do business?
Dearest,
My name is Rita, I am an account officer in Union Bank Plc. I am contacting
you for a very beneficial business of a huge sum of money from a deceased
account.
I am aware that this letter has come to you as a surprise as we have not
met before or handled any business deal in the past.
Nevertheless, I have contacted you with good faith and genuine intentions,
and I hope I can trust you with this fund which I will explain to you
immediately I hear from you.
Can we do business? if interested kindly respond to me through my personal
email address below To facilitate the process of this transaction.
Regards,
Rita Graham.
Email: ritagraham777@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
