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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:
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- barr.alphonsusokoro@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Alphonsus Adams <brudenellthomas.attorney1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barr.alphonsusokoro@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2021 08:32:50 -0700
Subject: Dear Sir/ma
Dear Sir/ma
My name is Alphonso Adams, I came across your e-mail contact prior to
a private search while in need of an honest and sincere person to
assist and partner with me to secure some unclaimed funds for
investment.
I am attorney here in London (UK), I want to use this opportunity to
discuss some left over money by my late client, the money in question
belong to one of my client who died on 2016 in an accident, my client
deposited the money with our bank here in UK without any next of kin
attached to it and I am his attorney since all these years. I need a
reliable partner to move and invest the fund. for more details if
you are interested.
For further detailed information. I wait for your most urgent and
swift positive response.
Thank you and Warm Regards .
Alphonsus Adams.
barr.alphonsusokoro@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
