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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dearest one," (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 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.
- williamdavy20@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williamdavy20@hotmail.fr>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:44:45 -0000
Subject: From Williams
>From David Williams
Hello dearest one, Please Reply me back at (williamdavy20@hotmail.fr)
I am David Williams i need you to help me transfer the some of (26 million dollars) which was deposited in bank by my late father before he died to your account, which he used my name as the next of kin to the money, now i want to relocate to your country to finish my education and also investment some of the money while you will be the manager of the investment as i don,nt know any body in your country,i will offer you 20% of the total money and also 5% for any expenses you made because there most be a little expenses for the changing of ownership of the money to your name before the bank can transfer the money to your account, all the deposit documents of this money will be send across to you as soon as i hear from you.
I will be waiting for your soonest reply as soon as posible
Yours
Davy
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Anti-fraud resources: