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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Dolores-Raymond@hotmail.com
Reply-To: mrs.dolores.raymond@hotmail.com
Date: 4 Mar 2024 05:09:31 -0500
Subject: Re:REPLY
Peace be unto you
How are you? I am Mrs. Dolores D.Raymond an ageing widow
suffering from blood cancer,I am now confined to a nursing home.
I have some inherited funds from my late loving husband, the late
Mr. Michael Raymond, The amount of [$5.200,000.00] five million
two hundred thousand dollars which he deposited with the Bank and
I need a good honest God fearing person who will use these funds
for God's work in charity. I want this fund to go for charity
work because I have no child to inherit the fund, 15% out of the
total fund will be for your compensation for doing this work of
God. Please if you would be willing to carry out the project to
the glory of God kindly reply to me .for more information thanks
and God bless you.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Dolores D.Raymond.
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Anti-fraud resources:
