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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
- 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.
- westeru39@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Western Union <w.union733@laposte.net>
Reply-To: westeru39@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 17 May 2014 13:23:47 +0100
Subject: Make sure you contact them for your Payment.
Attn,
We are still waiting for you to collect your funds of your funds of
$4,500,000.00 because your Your Payment Information have been release to
you so that you can be able to collect your funds as soon as possible.
We want to inform you that you need to contact the LOTTO PAYMENT OFFICE
through our email address:(westeru39@yahoo.com)to able us to send your
Payment Information to you to collect your funds within the next 48hrs
time.
YOUâRE NAME___________
YOUR HOME ADDRESS_______
YOUâRE COUNTY/CITY___________
DIRECT PHONE NUMBER_______
BEST REGARDS,
Mr.Musa Aziz
PHONE+226 64214264
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Anti-fraud resources: