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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Dr Buchioba <dr.buchioba@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: Dr Buchioba <revadetolasolomon@live.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 11:41:03 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I wait your prompt reply
Dear Friend.
Â
How are you today? hope fine. My Name is Barrister Dr Buchi Oba, of union chambers and Associates in cotonou-Benin Republique, I am contacting you because you share the same last name with my late client.I have contacted you to see if you can assist in repatriating the assets and Capital valued at(10.5Million,U S D) Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollar, left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared.
Reply to this address for more information (revadetolasolomon@live.co.uk)
Â
1) YOUR FULL NAME:_______________
2) YOUR AGE:______________________
3) YOUR MARITAL STATUSES:_______
4) YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER:______
5) YOUR FAX NUMBER:______________
6) YOUR COUNTRY:_________________
7) YOUR OCCUPATION:_____________
8) YOUR SEX:______________________
9) YOUR RELIGION:________________
10) YOUR PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS:_______
Best Regards
Dr Buchi Oba
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Anti-fraud resources:
