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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.
- barriggs9@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Riggs Hill <max863734@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barriggs9@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:15:34 -0700
Subject: Confidential/classified!!
Good day.
A comprehensive investigation into the death of our customer, an investor
who has the same surname as you, and his huge fund deposit in our bank.
This Investor died intestate and as such has no successor in title over his
huge funds with the bank running in Millions of Dollars.
This communication is meant to acquaint you with the status of the huge
fund and information about nominating you to inherit the fund left behind
by this client. Your answer and or questions are required so as to
determine appointing you as the sole available Next of Kin.
Treat as confidential.
Yours faithfully,
Riggs A Hill
Account Officer.
Email: barriggs9@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources: