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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- info.pauladam@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Williams Park" <mailinfoai@peoplepc.com>
Reply-To: "Mr. Williams Park" <info.pauladam@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:40:55 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
Subject: CONTACT MY SECRETARY FOR YOUR FUND.
Dear Friend,
I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred under the operation of a new partner from Paraguay. Presently I'm in South Korea for investment projects with my own share of the total sum. Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.
Now contact my secretary in Benin Republic to send you the ATM MASTER CARD I made on your name, his name is Paul Adams and his email address is (info.pauladam@gmail.com) ask him to send you the total sum of USD$2.500.000.00 (ATM MASTER CARD) which I kept for your compensation for all your past efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter. I appreciated your efforts at that time very much, so feel free and get in touch with my secretary Paul Adams and instruct him where to send the ATM MASTER CARD to you. bellow is his contact info.
NAME: Paul Adams
TELEPHONE# +229 9829 2981
EMAIL: info.pauladam@gmail.com
Kindly reconfirm to him the following information:
Your full name________________________
Your address__________________________
Your country__________________________
Your age______________________________
Your occupation_______________________
Your Phone number_____________________
Ask him to send you the total sum of USD$2.500.000.00 ATM MASTER CARD which I kept for you. Note also that I will not be reached by email or phone for now because I am currently away for investment purpose with my share and I will be busy till about six months time or a year.
Best regards,
Mr. Williams Park
________________________________________
PeoplePC Online
A better way to Internet
http://www.peoplepc.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
