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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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- theresacoyle96@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Theresa Coyle" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <theresacoyle40@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2019 07:19:11 -0700
Subject: Reply Me
Dear Friend,
I am Mrs. Theresa Coyle a German Citizen based in the United Kingdom and married to Late Engr Brown Graham {PhD} who worked with
MULTINATIONAL OIL COMPANY EXXON AS A DRILLING RIG SUPPLIER in Kuwait for 19 years before he died on the 22nd August 2008.
We were married for twenty four years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death, he
deposited some money with a bank here in the United Kingdom and this fund is presently with the bank awaiting my disbursement as
beneficiary and next of kin to the funds. Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Eight months due to cancer
problem. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a good person that will utilize this money in good faith.
l took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money. I kept this deposit secret till date, this is why I am taking this decision. I don't think i will need any telephone communication in this regard because of the confidentiality of this transfer.
Upon your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank. I will also issue a letter of authorization to the bank that will prove you are the present beneficiary of this money. Reply to my very confidential email address below
{theresacoyle96@yahoo.co.uk}
Await your responds and God bless you.
Mrs. Theresa Coyle
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Anti-fraud resources:
