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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:
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- 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.
- wells.fargo_bank55@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Robert Peterson" <westernfile66@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Oficefile99@outlook.com
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2021 00:19:49 -0800
Subject: Wells Fargo Bank,
Wells Fargo Bank,
Transfer Release Update
Contact on this Email::: wells.fargo_bank55@yahoo.com
Your Urgent Attention
This is to report to you that we received a correspondence from the
federal high court as a cancellation notice of your funds transfer to
be deleted from transfer payment file. The Bank management desires to
inform you that your funds transfer with us has been programmed among
the TWO (2) transactions that would face cancellation soon.
We have waited long time enough for you to fulfill the required
obligations and claim the funds like other beneficiaries that have
claimed their funds before October ending this year but nothing comes
up from you as indication from the funds owner.
the management of this transactions held an urgent meeting in my
office today, regards to the transferring of your funds by online
transfer and they have asked my office to submit all the paper works
and files containing your funds confidentiality but i refused and
asked the board members to give me from now till 2days time so that i
consult you personally for you to declare your interest on the funds
transfer.let me know if you are no more interested in receiving your
fund transfer
Further more, you are advised to reply to this email after reading,
and feel free to tell us why you abandoned such huge amount here. let
us know if you are no longer interested to complete your transaction.
Finally, if you still have the interest of being paid your funds by
online transfer; you should kindly forward your receiver’s name and
address including your phone number and your Email and password
immediately so that we can verify your email and make sure that they
is know hackers on it before we can update your online transfer.
i am looking forward to your positive cooperation fairly soon.
Contact on this E-mail(wells.fargo_bank55@yahoo.com)
Best regards.
Mr.Robert Peterson
DIRECTOR OF Wells Fargo Bank
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