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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:
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "richardsmith_001@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
- 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.
- +447035934668 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Richard Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richardsmith_001@live.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 13:51:38 -0700
Subject: ***You can work from home***
Derby House Fabrics Ltd.
59 Derby Street,
Manchester
M8 8HW.
+447035934668
www.derbyhousefabrics.co.uk
I am Richard Smith the Manager Derby House Fabrics Ltd and i live and work here in United
Kingdom, Would you like to work online from home and get paid without affecting your
present job? Actually i need a representative who can be working for our company as online
bookkeeper.We make lots of supplies to some of our clients in the USA/CANADA for which i
come down to receive payment and have it cashed after i supply them raw materials.
But its always too expensive and stressful for me to come down and receive such payment
twice in a month so i therefore decided to contact you.I am willing to pay you 10% for
every payment received by you from our clients who makes payment through you. To apply for
this position, send the informations requested below:
FULL NAME
FULL ADDRESS:CITY,STATE,ZIP CODE
OCCUPATION:
PHONE NUMBER.
ANNUAL INCOME
Position: Payment Officer
Email:richardsmith_001@live.com
Contact Number: +447035934668
Time 24Hrs Daily
Yours sincerely,
Richard Smith
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Anti-fraud resources: