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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- fundmanager86@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Tom Ewing" <tom.fund04@yahoo.co.nz>
Reply-To: fundmanager86@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:13:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: LETTER FROM MR.TOM EWING
>From Mr. Tom Ewing
130 Tonbridge Road
Hildeaborough
Tonbridge
Kent
TN11 9DZ
I am the Fund Manager of Fidelity Investment International, the World Largest Fund Management Company with over US$1.2 Trillion Capital Investment Fund.
If you accept to act as the investor of the fund here in Fidelity, I will give you 40% of the fund after claim. Upon confirmation of your acceptance to participate in this confidential transaction, I will give you more details on how to claim the fund without problem.
Call me on these telephone numbers +447759120060 or +447024087965 after your reply to this email address: fundmanager86@gmail.com
Mr. Tom Ewing,
Funds Manager.
www.fidelity.co.uk
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Anti-fraud resources: