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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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.
- 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.
- fmfoffice61@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "HON.MRS.DOORIS MORGAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fmfoffice61@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2019 00:03:12 -0800
Subject: HELLO:....READ AND REPLY FAST
FROM THE DESK OF;
HON.MRS.DOORIS MORGAN
SECRETARY TO THE
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
37 Park-view Estate Ikoyi Victoria Island
EMAIL: fmfoffice61@gmail.com
...........................................
Attn: The Benrficiary
How are you today? Hope all is well.
Your file appears in my desk two days ago Through FMF office That you
are among the people approved to be paid half of their payment of
USD$8.3 million dollars as we cannot release your total sum of your
payment to you because we don't have enough funds to pay you, Signed
by the Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria,. I need your bellow
information, to confirm with the one we have already here in our file,
if you are the rightful owner to paid and get back to me here
immediately.
Meanwhile, your Payment Voucher Number:(FMF/CBN/NNPC/BOA-93WB82UN567-G)
..............
Your Full Name............................
Your Sex..................................
Your Age.................................
Your House address:.............................
Your Country..............................
Your Copy of your identification Passport or Id Card...........
Marital Status.......................
Your Occupation..........................
Your Personal Mobile Number....................
Your Personal Fax Number.......................
We sincerely apologize for any delay you might have encountered in the
past as your payment is now 100% Guaranteed.
Please get back to me through this email address: fmfoffice61@gmail.com
I stop here until i hear from you again.
Thanks and God bless.
Hon.Mrs.Zainab Shamsuna Ahmedi.
(MINISTER OF FINANCE)
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Cc: Senate President.
Cc: All Foreign Payment Offices.
Cc: Board of Directors [BOD].
Cc: Accountant General Of The Federation
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Anti-fraud resources:
