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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- georgealnold@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "IMF" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgealnold@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2019 02:50:26 +0100
Subject: YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
DEPT: WORLD DEBT RECONCILIATION AGENCIES.
ADVISE: YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
A power of attorney was forwarded to our office this morning by two
gentle men, one of them is an American national and he is MR. Samuel J. Estes by name while the other person is MR. Robert M. Kennedy by
name a CANADIAN national.
This gentlemen claimed to be your representative, and this power of attorney
stated that you are dead, they brought an account to replace your information
in other to claim your fund of $12.5 Million Usd which is now lying DORMANT
and UNCLAIMED, below is the new account they have submitted:
BANK.-HSBC CANADA
Vancouver, CANADA
ACCOUNT NO. 2984-0008-66
You are to reply to this office immediately for clarifications on this
matter as we shall be available 24 hrs to attend to you and give you the
necessary guidelines
on how to ensure that your payment is wired to you immediately.
Just also be informed that any further delay from your side could be
dangerous, as we would not be held responsible of wrong payment.
Best Regards
Barrister Goerge T alnold
Email : Georgealnold@aol.com
Finance Department Director
International Monetary Funds Agent
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Anti-fraud resources:
