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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:
- "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev. Sis Joyce Emanuela" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sis.joyce@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:23:10 +0530
Subject: Dear Beloved
Dear Beloved,
May the peace of the Lord always be with you .
My name is Rev Sis Joyce Emanuela. I am 79 years old now and I have been bedridden for the past 5years. Now I believe that my time has come to join my ancestors in heaven.
I got your email address from the Internet as the spirit of Almighty God directed me to contact you for this charitable work.
I have $2.3, 000,000.00 deposited in a safe location which I want you to have on my behalf for an important charitable project. I choose to hand over this money to you for this charitable work which I know you have desired for people in need. I hope you will honestly do this for me, if yes please urgently response on receipt of this charitable work.
Finally, I will like you to inform me what you do for a living so that I can be able to know if your work is going to allow you to handle this project that I am committing into your hands to the glory of God. I am writing this from my Notebook computer in my hospital bed where I wait for my time to come. I pray that God will use you to accomplish this charitable work.
Thanking you and remain blessed in the Lord.
Rev. Sis Joyce Emanuela
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Anti-fraud resources:
