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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Oiland Gas <dora_s@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:33:04 +0000
Subject: Dear respected one,
Dear respected one,
Please allow me to introduce myself to you, i am miss Dora Graham, 18 years old girl from Liberia, West Africa.
I would want to confide in you as my legal guardian to receive my late
father\'s funds of US$3.5 million which is my inheritance into your foreign account and help me for good investment and to continue with my education in your country.
I will also want you to accept and treat me as a member of your family
because i lost all my loved family in the war of my country before i was brought to the U.N Refugee Camp in Nigeria .
Please can i trust you? you can contact me back via my private email: dora_s@outlook.com
Dora Graham
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Anti-fraud resources:
