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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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- pearsonjohn854@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "info@alfastar.com" <alfastar0035@gmail.com>
Reply-To: pearsonjohn854@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2021 19:56:26 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY SIR/MADAM,
GOOD DAY SIR/MADAM:
This is general director of the dhl delivery courier service, Mr. John
Pearson and I am here to inform you that after the series meeting held
by USA president Mr. Joseph Biden and Mr Volkan Bozkir who is general
president of united nations then we the federal government of united
state has concluded to compensate all the scam victims and people's
that tested positive at Covid-19 pandemic with sum of $2.5million usd.
And I also want to let you know that the compensation fund has been
deposited to our office(Dhl delivers courier service) by the federal
ministry of finance as they were instructed and ordered by the federal
government of the United state.
Therefore you are informed to provide the needed information below.
Full Name:
Country:
State/City:
Phone Number:
Zip Code:
Occupation:
Please, I am also using this opportunity to let you know that you only
have to pay a sum of $100 for an international delivery permit
certificate, which signifies that you are the rightful owner of this
compensation fund and to avoid any problem or security reasons. So
once this $100 payment is made, we will proceed on delivery
arrangement or schedule and special agent Mr. john butler will
commence the delivery of your fund at your home address in 24hours. I
am waiting for urgent your response as soon as you receive my mail.
Best Regards
email: pearsonjohn854@gmail.com
Director John Pearson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
