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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Gabriel <infoweb23401@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <gabrielowen1102@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2016 03:05:23 -0700
Subject: We await your urgent response.
Attention:
By order of our financial affiliate in United Kingdom, we confirm receipt of the above reference amount in our escrow account with the Citibank n.a. for further transfer to your account, as given by financial representative.
Kindly indicate your awareness to this new development and reconfirm your receiving account as stated in our payment database to avoid wrong fund transfer in a wrong account and also avoid any unnecessary delays.
Your mobile phone number will also be needed to effect Citibank credit alert when transfer is done.
We await your urgent response.
My regards,
Gabriel Owen
TELEPHONE.+2348093538153
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
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Anti-fraud resources:
