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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "inheritance funds" (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)
- ",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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "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.
- yorkshirebank802@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Kenneth Scott" <yorkshirebank802@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2021 03:07:44 -0600
Subject: urgent reply needed !!!
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Dear Beneficiary,
You are welcome to Yorkshire Bank in the United Kingdom.
I have been directed to inform you that you have a pending fund in our
bank database for a very time now and you have never contacted us for a
claim ever since then. This said fund was transferred from a
correspondent bank and it was directed to be wired to your bank account
but we decided to be silent to hear from you and ever since then you
haven't emailed or called us.
Your inheritance funds of Seventy Eight Million Dollars ( $78,000,000
USD ) is ready for claim in our bank and how do you wish to claim it so
that we can proceed and know the next steps.
All you are required to do is to contact our bank in the United Kingdom
for the finalization of this transaction or you can give us an
instruction on how you wish to receive your funds.
Please kindly forward me the scan copy of your International Passport
copy and your other details for you to open a bank account with us or
you advise us on the means at which you wish to claim / receive your
funds.
Contact me on this email ( yorkshirebank802@gmail.com )
I will be looking forward to read your earnest reply
Thanks and have a great day.
Regards,
Dr. Kenneth Scott.
( Director Of International Remittance Department ).
Yorkshire Bank,United Kingdom
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