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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:
- "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us dollars" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Mary L Jone" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <maryljones190@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2019 03:25:06 -0700
Subject: PLEASE YOUR RESPOND IS NEEDED
Dear Beloved,
I am Mrs Mary L Jones from STOCKHOLM SWEDEN, Sorry for contacting you by email but i have to as I am ill and might not survive according to my doctor as a result of cancer. I want to distribute my late husband funds $10 Million US Dollars to charity organizations in your country through you to use to build schools, hospitals and promise you the 5% percent of the Funds I have been touched By God during a prayer and fasting session for the Great Lord to heal me of my ailments and directed by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband for the good work of God,rather than to be used for an ungodly PURPOSE. But after much prayer, searching through your country listing I have asked God Almighty to direct me to a honest AND TRUSTWORTHY person that will use this Fund righteously to reach the needy.
Please Respond
Thanks Mrs Mary L Jone
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Anti-fraud resources:
