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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:
- "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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin 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.
- meet.department.credit@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Clark" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <department.credit@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2021 06:56:19 -0800
Subject: URGENT REQUEST
My name is Mrs Helen Clark.I am a banker in a financial institution with a lot of investment portfolio.I got your contact as a trusted person.
I need your help to transfer the sum of US$17 Million dollars.
This money is part of the profits incurred from investment portfolio in our financial institution last year (2019).
Although i have already submitted my annual yearly report to my financial institution headquarters and they did not notice
this excess profits of the sum of US$17 Million dollars which is deposited in escrow account without any beneficiary
(Anonymous) to avoid any trace.
I cannot be directly commuted to this money because I still work as a staff in the financial institution.
This is why i need your assistance to help transfer this Funds to your bank account for us to share.
I will offer you 40% of this Funds as my partner and 60% will be for me and you will help me invest part of my share.
NOTE: There is no risk involved because it will be a bank-to-bank transaction.
All i need from you is honesty co-operation to enable us see this transaction done well,
If you are interested or willing to help kindly reply with your below details.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
DATE OF BIRTH:
COUNTRY:
SEX:
OCCUPATION:
Also send your private telephone number so we can talk.
I will be looking forward to receive your quick response.All other correspondence will be via this my personal email until
we meet.department.credit@yahoo.com
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Helen Clark
Director International Remittance Department}.
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