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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: "Rachael Donald" <mrs_rachaeldonald@wp.pl>
Reply-To: mrs.rachaeldonald@hotmail.fr
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 17:41:20 +0100
Subject: Greeting From Mrs:Rachael Donald??
Hello Dearest.
Good day to you and family my name is Ms.Racheal Donald, widowed 76 years Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience cause by my message.
I am suffering of throat cancer since 7 months, and recently the doctor inform me that I cannot survive it because it is in terminal I am doomed to a certain death any moment from now the fact is that my health is deteriorating everyday and am afraid of the act late before death comes I
decided to contact you for an urgent and import___ant issue I want to grace my heritance the sum of $9.5 million dollarsfor charity purpose in order for you to please help the poor and the needy and also build churches and monasteries with a foundation that will bear my name kindly write me back for more details
Sincerely
Mrs.Rachael Donald
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Anti-fraud resources:
