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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- rebeccaleezhang@citromail.hu (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Rebecca Zhang <ukpabiandrew56@gmail.com>
Reply-To: rebeccaleezhang1@citromail.hu
Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2022 05:09:18 -0700
Subject: REPLY BACK NOW
Good day,
Greetings and sorry for intruding into your privacy. I sent you this
message before last month but I didn't rceive your response.
My name is Mrs. Rebecca Lee Zhang, a Cancer Patient presently in
hospital. I want to donate my inheritance funds US$30 Million to
Orphanage homes but resently I have a
serious health problem so I cannot be able to handle the donations myself.
So I'm writing you if you can receive the Funds and handle the
donations to Orphanage Homes on mybehalf with love and care ?
Reply back if you can do that so I give you more details.
Contact me on this email directly: ( rebeccaleezhang@citromail.hu )
Hoping to receive your reply soon.
Regards,
Rebecca Zhang Good day,
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Anti-fraud resources:
