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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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 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.
- ustreasurydepartment789@mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT" <markn6635@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ustreasurydepartment789@mail.com
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2023 08:54:55 +0800
Subject: Urgent Attention Needed!
--
I am Janet Yellen, the secretary of the United States Department of
the Treasury.
This urgent message is to inform you that my office has approved the
immediate release and delivery of your fund to you.
I was conducting a file verification exercise and came across a
payment file in your name.
This file has all the payment approval documents, especially from the
United Nations Payment Agency as well as other agencies including US
agencies. However, there is no indication that the said approved fund
was finally paid to you as the beneficiary.
Your total fund is US$10.5 million (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars only).
Before we proceed with the delivery process, you need to reconfirm to
us the following information;
(1)Full Name:
(2) Residence address:
(3) Valid Id card:
(4 Telephone / Mobile phone:
Kindly treat this as a matter of urgency.
Contact Name: Janet Yellen
Email: ustreasurydepartment789@mail.com
Best Regards
Janet Yellen.
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Anti-fraud resources:
