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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 us 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)
- ",000,000" (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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- rrrsmith02@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Robert Smith <millenum@tin.it>
Reply-To: rrsmith011@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 19:30:53 +0100
Subject: Investment..
--
I want to know if you will like to help my client invest in your country
and get rewarded financially without leaving or affecting your present
job?
I represent Mrs. Chung Hee- Ja, wife of Mr. Kim Woo Choong the founder
and former chairman of the Daewoo Motors Group in South Korea here in
after shall be referred to as my client and it is on her instruction
that i am doing all that i am doing now. She is looking for a foreign
individual or a corporate body that can profitably invest $50,000,000.00
(Fifty Million US Dollars) on real estates outside Hong Kong. Most
importantly, you will be required to invest these funds on real estates
preferably in your country of residence outside of Hong Kong.Mrs. Chung
Hee- Ja Kim Choong is willing to reward you with 10% for your
partnership role.
Trust me; this is once in a life time opportunity i bet you can't afford
to miss.If you prefer to be re-contacted for more express information,
Write back promptly i look forward to it. (rrrsmith02@gmail.com )
Sincerely,
Robert Smith Esq
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