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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Bunmi Abayomi" <privateinfo1930@att.net>
Reply-To: mrsabayomi@fastservice.com
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:06:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Very Important Information For You
We have an ATM CARD here in our office which has your name on it and your e-mail address attached to it.
It is for this reason that i personally write this e-mail to you to for-warn you that if not claimed by the end of this month the estimated fund will be relocated to the source of origin and the ATM CARD will be confiscated this is to avoid wrong person coming for the claim.
So the question here is this. Are you ready to make claim to your ATM CARD? If yes kindly let us have your correct present location address so that we will advise you on what must be done to have your ATM CARD in your hands within 24 hours and if no kindly write back to us immediately you are in receipt of this e-mail to go ahead to destroy your atm card with fire.
Lastly, if you insist on viewing your atm card we are ready to do so for you to glance, ascertain and be sure it is your name that is on the card.
We await the urgent response from you that will make or obliterate your future and tomorrow, it is up to you.
Yours Sincerely.
Mrs. Bunmi Abayomi.
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Anti-fraud resources:
