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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.
- 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.
- abc200gh@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Peter Clever Ofori <pcofori023gh@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <pcofori01gh@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2014 11:07:11 +0000
Subject: I NEED YOUR REPLY PLEASE.
Dear sir
I am Peter Clever Ofori it is my desire to contact you for assistance and counseling. Before the death of my father we have traveled once to the united states for two weeks vacation and since then I have dreamed to live in the America and become American citizen if God permit my heart desire but the death of father have messed my dream up.
And I believe you are a reputable and responsible and trustworthy person that can help my situations. I was searching through American business and counseling directories I saw your information I pray for God directions and God led me to pick your contact information among the millions of contacts in that pages. I am soliciting if you could be my guidance and counselor over this matter. My dad left some money for me to finish my university education and start up life with remaining, now the bank is asking that i should provide information of the person who will represent me at the bank so the money can be process and transfer the him or her.
Please kindly reply me to enable me furnish you all the necessary information to submit to the bank for the release of the money.
I will be very glad for your kind positive reply. Please while replying me kindly send a copy to my second email: abc200gh@yahoo.com
God bless you.
Peter Clever Ofori
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Anti-fraud resources:
