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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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 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.
- smithdaviduk19@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR DAVID SMITH" <davidsmithuk4545@gmail.com>
Reply-To: smithdaviduk19@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2022 16:31:23 -0500
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary !
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
REPLY BACK TO ME VIA THIS EMAIL ADDRESS: smithdaviduk19@gmail.com
THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT
/INHERITANCE FILE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $10.5M USD AND FOUND OUT THAT WHY
YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT HAVE
FULFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT /
INHERITANCE PAYMENT.
SECONDLY WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE
NONE OFFICIALS IN THE BANK ALL IN YOUR ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE RELEASE
OF THE FUND TO YOU. WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT
LIKE THIS HAVE TO STOP IF YOU WISHES TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT SINCE WE
DECIDED TO BRING A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE
ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR ATM OR BANK TRANSFER INTER-SWITCH
DEPARTMENT.
THIS ATM OR BANK TO BANK TRANSFER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD OR
TRANSFER THE FUNDS INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT WHICH YOU WILL
RECEIVE WITHIN THREE BANKING DAYS OR YOU
DEMAND FOR AN ATM CARD PAYMENT.
ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ME VIA THIS EMAIL ADDRESS:
smithdaviduk19@gmail.com
1.YOUR FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
3. ADDRESS.
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. A COPY OF YOUR IDENTITY
REGARDS.
MR DAVID SMITH.
smithdaviduk19@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
