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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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: World Health Organization UK <root@firmbeginnings.com>
Reply-To: drtijjanimuhammadbande@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2020 08:04:35 -0700
Subject: Re: Good Day
--
Greeting
We have just received an approval to compensate you with $1,000,000.00
US Dollars as relief funds for Covid-19 Pandemic.This is the last
notice about your fund If you don't claim your fund now it will be
cancelled. We have mandated the affiliate payment center to release your
fund. The only thing now is for the authorization and transfer of fund
into your account. Please respond at you earliest convenience so I can
send you the details to get this process in motion.
Stay Safe.
President of the General Assembly
Dr Tijjani Muhammad-Bande
Covid-19 Intervention Relief Fund®? Committee.
World Health Organization UK.
ttps://www.un.org/pga/74/
https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home.html
Ehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations
www.un.org
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Anti-fraud resources: