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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:
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: FIRST BANK NIGERIA PLC <john41955@gmail.com>
Reply-To: firstb42@aol.com
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:32:16 +0100
Subject: VERY URGENT
*Attn: PleaseðŸ™*
*Are you also aware that $18.753 million USD was Approved in your name and
published in our national newspaper gazette for instant release order from
2021 to 2022.*
*Are you much alive or **What is going on ?**, because we received a letter
that you are Dead and asked one Mr. Joe Thomson from Canada to forward his
Citibank account as your next of kin to claim your fund.*
*Please, Urgently confirm if this is (a lie) with the following
information: Your Cell phone number and home address and copy of your ID
and the name of your next of kin.Your Whats-App number will be needed or
Skype app name to privatize this transaction and update you urgently.
Please. Waiting for your Urgent Response.
Yours Faithfully: DR. FRANK KELLEY
DIRECTOR (WIRE TRANSFER FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC*
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Anti-fraud resources:
