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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:
- "million united state 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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- drpetermartins@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Senators Office <senatorsoff1981@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2016 19:18:18 +0000
Subject: Reply
>From United Nation/Africa
Compensation Payment 2016
Mrs.Godwin Helen Ogbona
Approved Payment Notification
Attention
Presidential Board of Trustee of United Nations and Africa sincerely apologized for what we noticed that happened to you.
We have been having a meeting together for passed 5 months which ended 2days ago.We agreed to compensate every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract sum,and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc. We found your email Address in our list as one of the victims and that is why we contacted you.
We concluded,agreed upon and signed to pay you through prepaid ATM VISA CARD value $7.2 million united state dollars. Now, We advice you to send your Next of Kin and Phone Number to our payment director Dr. Peter Martins.
Contact our payment director Dr. Peter Martins Via E-mail: drpetermartins@hotmail.com For your payment
We hope hearing from you immediately.
Approved Payment Notification
>From United Nation/Africa
Mrs.Godwin Helen Ogbona
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Anti-fraud resources:
