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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.
- 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.
- secretariat.info@aim.com (AOL Instant Messenger; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- organizing committee directly via e-mail: secretariat.info@aim.com sincerely, mrs elizabet walter e-mail: elizbertjones@aol.com (Aim; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Elizabet Walter <elizberjones@aol.com>
Reply-To: elizbertjones@aol.com
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2013 21:19:28 -0500
Subject: Invitation to Attend (WCPCVAWSH) 2013.
Hello,
It is a great pleasure to invite you to the World Convention on
preventing and combating violence against women and Sexual Harassment
(WCPCVAWSH) 2013. This convention provides the most comprehensive
framework in the world to prevent violence against women, protect its
victims, prosecute the perpetrators and set up a wide range of
measures to address this scourge in all its complexity.
World Convention on preventing and combating violence against women
and Sexual Harassment (WCPCVAWSH) 2013 is scheduled to take place from
November 19th to 22nd at San Diego, California United State and from
25th to 30th November 2013 at Dakar Senegal.
This convention has the potential to save and change the lives of
millions of women who are victims of violence because of their gender,
and millions of other victims of domestic violence. Sponsored by other
benevolent donors worldwide.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE DIRECTLY via e-mail: secretariat.info@aim.com
Sincerely,
Mrs Elizabet Walter
E-Mail: elizbertjones@aol.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
