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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:
- "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- gracebj55@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Grace B. Johnson" <graceb@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: gracebj55@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:26:24 -0200
Subject: CHARITY WORK
Dear Beloved,
My name is Grace Johnson am 69 years old am presently hospitalized here in
London am suffering from cancer which has made me loose my voice and
hearing. Am
in search of an honest and God fearing person who will carry out a
humanitarian
and charity work around the world because my health is detoriating
fast and the
doctors have told me that I have short time to live on this earth.
My late husband was late Mr. Patrick M.Jack the CEO of PATRIARCH Oil Mining &
Exploration we were married for 42 years without a child, he deposited
in a bank
here in London the sum of 8,500,000.00 British Pounds before his death
so I need
you to use this fund to fulfill my last wish on earth by using 65% percent of
this fund to help the poor and the needy around the world you should also make
donation to churches and mosques world wide while you keep 35% percent
for your
personal need.
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. You have to
get back to me with the below details. 1. Full name. 2. Phone number.
3. Age. 4.
Occupation. 5. Sex. 6. Country.
Hope to hear from you soonest in this my personal email: gracebj55@gmail.com
Awaiting your reply
Regards,
Grace Johnson
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FME Webmail
www.educacao.niteroi.rj.gov.br
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Anti-fraud resources:
