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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.
- 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.
- lukassmikel1@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Maria Benson" <mariag_benson@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: lukassmikel1@yahoo.es
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 11:21:36 +0200
Subject: CONTACT HIM TODAY
Hello my friend
How are you today, Hope all is well with you and your family?, I am using this
opportunity to inform you that I have accomplished my wish on earth as I have
been able to distribute the money to the orphanage/ Motherless homes
as my heart
desires with the help of Mr.Mikel Lukas from Benin republic.
I want to thank you for your great effort for accepting in the first place to
help me accomplish my wish in helping the orphans and motherless babies.
However, I have instructed Mr.Mikel Lukas to send you a bank draft worth
$150,000.00 dollars to you as my compensation to you for your efforts. I want
you to accept it with all your heart. Go ahead to contact Mr.Mikel Lukas
immediately to receive your bank draft as I have instructed him to release the
bank draft to you any time you contact him for it. His email
address:lukassmikel1@yahoo.es . Please follow Mr. Lukas instructions
so that He
will release the bank draft to you .
Have a nice day and God bless you .
Best regards
Mrs. Maria Benson
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Anti-fraud resources:
