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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Grace Depp" <grdepps@yahoo.cn>
Reply-To: grdepp@yahoo.cn
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:39:41 -0000
Subject: I will appreciate your reply
My dear,
I pray that you will continue to be blessed. I am writing to you all
the way from Britain and my name is Grace Depp. Actually i was raised
in a motherless babies' home in Netherlands and i was married to my
late husband for 21 years without a child. He died in a motor
accident and that gave me a biggest shock of my life. Before his
death i had cancer of the lungs which has developed severely lately
and affected my brain. According to my doctors they have advised that
i could live for less than half year even though i still believe that
God will help me. I had sold all my inherited properties and
deposited Fourteen million dollars with a Security company. I am
presently with my computer in a herbal home where i have been
undergoing alternative treatment. I have lost my ability to talk and
it is my last wish to see that all my belongings are invested and
distributed among the charity organisations, the poor and orphanages.
I will like you to distribute the funds accordingly as i have stated.
Please you have to send to me your full names and delivery address
with phone number so that i can prepare an authority letter that will
present you as the beneficiary of my deposits with the company. You
will assure me that you act as i have stated herein. God bless you
and I await your reply soon.
Ms. Depp
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Anti-fraud resources:
