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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS.TAMARA COLE" <mrs.tamarac@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrs.tamarac@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:55:14 +0000
Subject: Dear; Associate Investor
Dear; Associate Investor
I am Tamara Cole the wife of Mr. David Cole who lost his life during the
Libyan civil war crises with two of my sons. I am presently here in London
UK to secure my life under the United Nation Refuge forum. My late husband
had a whooping sum of USD$50.million dollars before his death from the
crude oil business he did with the Libyan oil and gas independent
marketers.
I want your assistant on any magnitude investment with the said money in
question for something good to bench on in your country. I would love you
to contact me with your personal details information for me to have the
said investment invested under your control.
The details needed from you are, your full name. Your full contact address,
your mobile number. The related details would be used for the documentation
on the said funds as my Beneficiary and partner for any like able
investment that could be benched on.
Thanks.
Mrs.Tamara.Cole
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Anti-fraud resources:
