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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:
- 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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: yama@primerib.jp
Reply-To: mccanalex9@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2022 04:49:14 +0200
Subject: RE:TEAT AS URGENT
Good day, I am Keith Allen McLamb Jr. I have emailed you earlier without an=
y response from you. Since the death of the deceased,nobody has operated in=
this account till date. Moreover, this account has NO BENEFICIARY or NEXT =
of kin attached to it. Hence I have decided to contact you to stand of the =
next of kin to the deceased customer to enable us receive his deposit as in=
heritance for investment amounted to $17.2 Million dollars only. On my firs=
t email I mentioned about my late client whose relatives I cannot get in to=
uch with. But both of you have the same last name so it will be very easy t=
o front you as his official next of kin. I am compelled to do this because =
I would not want the finance house to push my client`s funds into their tre=
asury as unclaimed inheritance. If you are interested you do let me know so=
that I can give you Comprehensive details on what we are to do. . Waiting =
for your response. Many Thanks, Keith Allen McLamb Jr.
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Anti-fraud resources:
