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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:
- "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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- kennethosei5@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Kenneth Osei" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kennethosei3@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2012 05:49:10 -0500
Subject: Greeting
Greetings;
My name is Mr. Kenneth Osei; I am an auditor working with a Ghana Finance company. During our last annual inspections of various accounts in all our branches, my department found a dormant account with an enormous sum of US$ 8,300,000.00 (Eight Million Three Hundred Thousand US Dollar) which was deposited by our late customer.
>From My investigation he had no beneficiary or next of kin to claim these funds. I will need us to work together if you are interested and invest my share in a lucrative business in your country.
I will provide you with useful information’s and documents that will enable us transfer the funds into your bank account legally without any problem. 60% - 40% will be our shares.
Write me directly with your contacts on this email: kennethosei5@hotmail.com
Regards,
Mr. Kenneth Osei
kennethosei5@hotmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
