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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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- "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)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- claimsoffice.smithport@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Lottery Board" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <claimsoffice.smithport@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:47:07 -0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!! (You Have Won The Lottery)
Ref: 435062725
Batch: 7050490902/189
Winning no: GB8101/LPRC
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Dear Winner,
This is to inform you that your e-mail address has been selected as one of the lucky e-mails in our on-going Free lotto online promotion for all e-mail addresses in the World.Your e-mail has been awarded a prize money of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ($500,000.00) from International Lotto incorporated.This is a bonus to promote lotto Which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses.
Your email address was attached to ticket number; 4700172507056490102 serial number 7741134002 This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows 5-13-33-37-42 bonus mumber17,which consequently won the lotto in the second category.
All participant were selected through a computer balloting system drawn form Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from the whole world as part of our international promotions program.
This Lotto was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities.
Further more your details (e-mail address) falls within our AFRICAN representative office in Ghana as indicated in your play coupon.
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE;
Simply contact your Regional claims Agent and Director for claims,Mr Smith Newport Email (claimsoffice.smithport@gmail.com) you can also contact them on phone (+233543312813) to file for your claim .
CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT AT FOR;
Email: claimsoffice.smithport@gmail.com
Phone: +233543312813
NOTE: ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION.
God bless you!
Yours faithfully,
Carol Sweet
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Anti-fraud resources:
