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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:
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- theodorawoodg@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Chief Justice of Ghana <mrssrose118@gmail.com>
Reply-To: theodorawoodg@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:09:32 +0100
Subject: Hello my good friend
Hello my good friend
I am Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, I would like to seek for
your assistance towards fund belonging to a deceased client of mine
who shares the same last name with you because the custodian financial
institution is at the verge of confiscating his deposit worth
$10.500,000.00 if I do not present any next of kin in the next 21
working days therefore I will appreciate your immediate response
therefore kindly get back to me through this
Email:(theodorawoodg@gmail.com)
He died in a plane crash that happened in Ethiopian Airlines.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 was a scheduled international passenger
flight from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Ethiopia to Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya.
IATA flight No: ET302
ICAO flight No: ETH302
Location: Bishoftu, Ethiopia
Date: March 10, 2019
Number of deaths: 157
Registration: ET-AVJ
Am looking forward to your urgent reply. Therefore, Kindly get back to
me immediately you receive this message so that to enable me send all
necessary legal documents that can be used to back up the fund.
therefore kindly get back to me through this
Email:(theodorawoodg@gmail.com)
Best Regards
Georgina Theodora Wood.
Chief Justice of Ghana.
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Anti-fraud resources:
