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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: Stella Antonio <s_an@voila.fr>
Reply-To: s_antonio@voila.fr
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2012 01:03:30 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Hello my dear
I greet you with love,
I am writing this message with tears in my eye.I know this is not the best medium to relate with you,but due to some reasons I have decided to seek for your attention.
I am Stella Antonio a young lady from Philipines.I am the only dauther of my parents.My father was among those who were killed during the massacre that left 57 people dead in a case of political violence here in Philippine.
The death of my father have made me an orphan because my mother died while trying to deliver a baby.This development has affected me academically, physically and Psychologically and I have decided to seek for your help.
I have been receiving several murder threat from those that killed my father.Right now i am in my hideout because my life is being threthened by an unknown people.
I am contactin you to assist me to transfer out the sum of $6,500.000.00 which my father deposited outside Philipine.I need your assistance to secure this money on my behalf.
Due to my present condition i can not meet up with the claim requirement.I want to solicit for your assistance to stand as my representative so that the money will be released in your name to enable me come to your country.
I will reward you with enough percentage for your kind assistance.Please help me out don't allow me to die in this condition.
I will give you more details as soon as i hear from you.
Thank you in anticipation.
Best Regards,
Stella Antonio.
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Anti-fraud resources:
