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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:
- "dear friend" (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)
- "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- us.immigrationofficer.j@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Jeffrey Mark <capt.patrickvelez.usarmy1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usimmigrationofficer@naver.com
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2021 17:43:55 -0500
Subject: My name is Jeffrey Mark, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer
--
Dear Friend,
My name is Jeffrey Mark, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
officer.I wish to acquaint you that a diplomat in position of a box
containing worth $12.5 million dollars died after being confirmed
positive of covid19 corona virus on the 17Th of September 2020, at the
Austin Bergstrom International Airport on his way to your city to
deliver the Box to you.
He secretly informed me before his demise that the box belong to
you,and pleaded to me that I should assist him to get this box to you
before his death at the isolation center. To ensure that the box is
delivered to the right person reconfirm your following information
details below:
FULL NAME:
AGE:
HOME ADDRESS FOR THE DELIVERY:
MOBILE NO:
OCCUPATION:
COUNTRY:
NEAREST AIRPORT:
Please, get back to me asap and also endeavor to keep this to yourself
as am doing this selfless service to ensure the diplomat's last wish
is honored.
Sincerely
Mr Jeffery Mark
Email: us.immigrationofficer.j@gmail.com
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