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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.
- 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.
- officialpaymentus.org@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Official Mail <atalyebwahabibu@gmail.com>
Reply-To: officialpaymentus.org@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:16:49 -0700
Subject: United Nations payment code: 7599157
I write to inform you that THE UNITED NATIONS AND WORLD BANK
ORGANIZATION facilitated around-table meetings which just ended some
days ago, and it has been agreed upon that compensation payment of
US$8,355,000.00 to individuals whose Name and E-mail have been chosen
through an open E-mail ballot system.
These also includes every foreign contractors that may have not
received their contract sum and people that have had an unfinished
transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government
problems or the other etc.
However, it is my pleasure to inform you that a Bank Draft No:
9498*9715*3836*9994 have been reserved for you which contains your
certified amount. You are hereby advised to contact our payment
representative in US affiliated with US PAYMENT BUREAU, WASHINGTON DC
with your payment code: 7599157 together with your details.
Contact Person: Patrick Williams
EMAIL: officialpaymentus.org@gmail.com
Phone: +1 (202) 892-5444.
Regards,
United Nations Organization In Affiliation with World Bank;
Signed.
Ghada Fathi Waly
FOR: Secretary-General.
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Anti-fraud resources:
