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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- mark.car003@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Allen Mark" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 10:05:41 +0100
Subject: From Allen Mark
Dear Friend,
I am counsel to the late Henry Dennis who left an account with a finance house here in the United Kingdom. Henry
Dennis has no known next of kin, I want to present to you which gives you legal entitlement to his Account for he
had no known relative.
Please do get in touch via email mark.car003@gmail.com with your contact details to discuss the modality of you
inheriting his account valued at US$5,200.000 million.
Regards,
Allen Mark
NORWICH NORFOLK, NR5 8BZ UK
TEL: +44 7700 049 618
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Anti-fraud resources:
