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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "United Nations Security Council" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <revscott1@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 21:04:17 +0100
Subject: FROM: REV. DR. WILLIAM CAMPBELL
FROM: REV. DR. WILLIAM CAMPBELL
UNITED NATIONS' SECURITY COUNCIL
WORLD FUND DISCOVERY MANAGEMENT AND PAYMENT BUREAU
COMPENSATION COMMISSION
This letter is from the United Nations' Security Council in conjuction with the World Fund Discovery Management And Payment Bureau newly invented by the World Financial Service Authority United States Of America/United Kingdom. This
body was set up to discover all outstanding unpaid funds being owned to Governments or Individuals all over the world through Contract Payment, Inheritance and Lottery Winning Prize Awards.
It will interest you to know that we have discovered an outstanding unpaid/unclaimed sum of money in favor of your name and a mandate has been given to this body World Fund Discovery Management And Payment Bureau to ensure that this
fund gets to you without any delay.
Note that some special payment arrangements have been made to deliver the funds to you through diplomatic means of payment or swift bank transfer depending on your choice of payment. Alternatively, you can come in person to any of our
payment offices in Europe, America or Asia to fulfil necessary clearance obligations and receive your funds in person.
You are advised to re-confirm to this office with the information below to enable us open up communication with you regarding the release of your funds immediately.
Full Name & Address
Contact Tel & Fax Numbers
Present Occupation/age
Total Payment Due
Payment Mode( Cash delivery/Bank Tranfer)
Thanks.
Respectfully,
REV. DR. WILLIAM CAMPBELL
For:
United Nations' Security Council
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Anti-fraud resources:
