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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "profjusticeandrew@qatar.io" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Prof Justice Andrew" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <profjusticeandrew@qatar.io>
Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 14:55:57 -0400
Subject: YOU ARE HERE BY CALL TO JUSTICE FROM THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT.
Attention:
You are here by call to justice from the Federal High Court. We have a note on our desk that you are dealing with some internet spammers claiming to be from the these organization (FBI, BANKIMOON, COMPENSATION AWARD HOUSE) and some other organization, also we find out that you are dealing with some spammers in Africa about consignment.
We received the note on our desk this morning from the Inspector General of Head internet security (Gen. Daniel Doherty) who has been monitoring all your mail from their data base.
You are hereby requested to stop all further communication with any of these organizations or else you will have your self to blame.
Also you are advice to get back to us with all that you have been receiving from these spammers to hasten in carrying out a proper investigation on who is behind all this and who has been dealing with you because of your money.
Note: you are requested to get back to us as soon as possible or we shall inform the FBI to come and pick you up in your home address and your case will be worse if you do not co-operate with us to get these spammers track down, that is why we email you to know more details because this is the easiest way to meet our good citizens.
You are requested to get back to us in no time because you are here by call to justice from the Federal High Court. Before it is too late for you
however you are to provide us necessary details and we will inform you if truly there is any consignment for you at all
.. Our duties is to protect all our citizens and ensure that they are not been cheated and exploited by those hoodlums.
Get back to us now! Or your name will be listed among those that will be persecuted by law the (SCAM ACTIVITIES)
.
Best Regards,
Prof. Justice Andrew
Email:profjusticeandrew@qatar.io
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