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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "thycollins@live.com" (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.
- 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.
- thycollins1980@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "COLLINS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thycollins6@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:02:53 -0700
Subject: FROM: AUDITOR COLLINS THAMBO
FROM: AUDITOR COLLINS THAMBO
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Collins Thambo, an Auditor with a reputable bank here
in South Africa and with my position; I was privileged to see a file of
a deceased customer on the cause of my duty which contain huge amount of money
and I want to invest it in your company.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6627485.stm
Reply to private Email: thycollins1980@gmail.com, thycollins@live.com
urgently Call me on Tel: 0027 735 546 440, if you're interested.
Thanks and Best Regards,
Mr. Collins Thambo
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Anti-fraud resources:
