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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:
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- 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.
- ritaswaine01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rita Swaine"<admin@mosonass.ga
Reply-To: <ritaswaine01@gmail.com>
Date:
Subject:
>
Subject: Re: Read and Reply about my Covid-19 Bequest
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2020 01:12:52 +0100
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="Windows-1251"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000
Hi my name is Rita Swaine of Ireland, I am married to late Joseph Swaine who passed away from Covid-19 on April 15th.Before his death as s result of our joint account venture we have $18.5 million (USD) dollars in our fixed deposit account .
I don’t have a child and am of age, I am 75 years now and my doctor told me that based on my kidney and liver failure disease, I have few more months ahead. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. Before the death of my late husband we agreed to donate the funds to a God fearing person who will assure me that he/she will use this fund to help the Motherless babies homes, Orphanages and Charity organizations, less privileged, Propagating the word of God and assist in the fight against Covid-19.
We took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and I want to keep to my promise which i made to my late husband that we will donate the fund to an unknown as God directed. As soon as I receive your reply I shall proceed with immediate release of the fund to you through my Lawyer. I want you to always pray for me because I don’t have more days to live.
Kindly reply me privately at ritaswaine01@gmail.com
Please stay safe
Yours in the lord
Rita Swaine
Emil: ritaswaine01@gmail.com
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