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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "consignment " (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: "FastTrack Courier Services." <danny86600@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fasttrackservice147@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2022 13:10:30 +0100
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary, ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE ?
--
FastTrack Global Courier Services.
From The Desk of: Mr Steven Danzel
Position: Chief Protocol Dispatched officer
Attention: Beneficiary
A power of attorney was forwarded to our office this morning by a
gentle man, by name MR CHANGJUN LIU, This gentleman claimed to be your
representative/Next of kin, and this power of attorney stated that
suffered and died of a throat
cancer and this gentle man CHANGJUN LIU is ready to follow all process
for the release of this
approved payment to him as your next of Kin as signed on the power of
Attorney which is right now laying in our monitoring office which is a
result of inability to reach communication with you the rightful
beneficiary.
Note this fund $2,500,000 USD has been approved and issued out by the
Us Bank as a compensation fund to every scam related victims of the
United State and your full details was among the awarded victims. You
are therefore given 24hrs to reconfirm the bellow following
information to this honorable office if you are still alive and wants
this consignment fund delivered to you.
Your Full Name.................
Your Country Address...........
Your Home Address..............
Occupation.....................
Tele Or Cell Phone..............
Awaits your email responds to this email to enable give you the
necessary guidelines
on how to receive this compensation consignment.
Mr Steven Danzel
Chief Protocol Dispatched Delivery Officer.
FastTrack Global Courier Service.
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