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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:
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- invest_susanwafa2@mail2susan.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Susan Wafa" <gt_investment005@8panther.com>
Reply-To: invest_susanwafa2@mail2susan.com
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:21:37 +0100
Subject: MY DEAR I WANT TO INVEST IN YOUR COUNTRY
Hello my dear ,
Good day, I am Mrs, Susan Wafa, from Syria. I want to invest in your
country and I want you to assist me in investing us$6.5 Million dollars
in your country. My country is not good to invest anything at this time
because of ongoing war in my country Syria. If you are interested to
assist me I will offer you some percentage, reply me so that I will send
you full details on how we will start and how things now.
Waiting for your urgent reply via My Private Contact Email Address:
invest_susanwafa2@mail2susan.com
Mrs. Susan Wafa
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Anti-fraud resources:
