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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million 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.
- dukeleach11@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Brain Brain <brainbrain089@gmail.com>
Reply-To: adamsjoseph28@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:14:22 -0700
Subject: United Nation Surveillance
--
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to inform you that your email address was among listed for the
First quarter payment of the year 2023 Contract, Inheritance and
Winning Claim Fund value the sum of 5 Million dollars approved by the
UN Finance.
The fund will be released to you through our Approved Payment Channels
as soon as we receive your response to this urgent notification. To
avoid bottlenecks, we have allocated you with a new International
Payment Voucher Number: UK/BARCGB22 BGWB82UN-G, Approval Number:
7402-2011, and you must quote these Identification Numbers during your
response to this email for security reasons and proper identification.
1) You can receive your fund through our paying bank by Online banking
transfer to enable you to access your account and transfer your fund
into any designated bank account of your choice by yourself.
2) You can receive your fund through ATM Card or Certify Bank Draft
issue in your name to your mailing address.
Kindly indicate the mode of payment you consider most convenient for
you to receive this fund as to allow us take further steps to that
effect. Also reconfirm the following information to us for final
ratification exercise of your payment:
{Your Full Name:
{Your Contact Address:
{Your Direct telephone. Fax Number ( if any):
{Your AGE and what you do for a living
As soon as these Information are received, your payment will be duly
processed
Thanks for your anticipated cooperation
Leach Duke.
Sub Regional Officer West Africa.
United Nation Surveillance
dukeleach11@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
