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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: Tchao Bazaa <crenetogo6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bazaatchao@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2021 08:45:02 -0800
Subject: Hello
Hello
I apologize for using this medium to contact you. My name is Tchao Ago
Bazaa and I am a lawyer by profession. I am contacting you in respect
of my late client who bears the same surname as you and a citizen of
your country., my late client died in a car accident along with his
family some years back, leaving no next of kin. My late client was a
businessman who was into the oil and gold business here in my country.
He left behind a deposit value of ( Five Million Nine Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars only ) the bank where this money was
deposited is trying to confiscate it, since i cannot locate any member
of the family a long time after his demise, I therefore seek your
since partnership since you share the same family names with my late
client and probably from the same country, Do not hesitate to send me
the following information below for easy communication and endeavor to
reply through my private email address for more details:
Your full names
Your email address
Your private Telephone Number
Thanks
Barrister Tchao Ago Bazaa
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Anti-fraud resources:
