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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "foriegnpaymentboard@yahoo.in" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "MR PATRICK AKUME" <patakume@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: foriegnpaymboard2011@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:37:31 +1100
Subject: Attn: Honorable Beneficiary!!!
>From the Desk of: MR. PATRICK AKUME
E-mail:foriegnpaymentboard@yahoo.in
Our Ref: CP/EF/CCI/CP/C/01/2010
RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT PARTICULARS ON YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT FILE.
Attn: Honorable Beneficiary,
You are hereby advised to indicate to this esteem office With Immediate
effect, if you are the person that instructed Mr. Ben Phillip to make
claim of your funds.
Please confirm this immediately to enable this office endorse for the
final Payment Approval order on his behalf. And be rest assured of our
professional Service to him.
Make sure you get back to this office as soon as possible so that the
necessary action will be taking immediately.
Yours Faithfully,
MR.PATRICK AKUME
Director of Information/Approval
Foreign Payment Board
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Anti-fraud resources:
