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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:
- "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)
- 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.
- westernunionr113@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: west wood <woodw8420@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunionr113@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:10:39 +0100
Subject: COMPENSATING
--
This is Steve Brown, I wish to inform you that you are among the ten
lucky people their E-mail was found in the scam victims list. United
States government and United Nation are compensating each of you
with sum of 5.5 million USD. So all you have to do is to reconfirm to
me your full information on where to deliver your own $5 .5 million
dollars
Information such as:
Your Full Name:::::::::::::
Your Address::::::::::::::::
Your PO Box Number::::::::::
Your Direct Telephone number::::::
Your Occupation:::::::::::::::::::
Your Copy of valid ID card:::::::::::::
Contact Henry Marlick on
Email : (westernunionr113@gmail.com)
Whatsapp no: (+229 99095222)
Yours sincerely
Steve Brown
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Anti-fraud resources:
