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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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Kingsley Moghalu" <cbntelex41@gmail.com>
Reply-To: drkingsleymoghalucbn@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2014 05:48:50 -0800
Subject: Payment Approval.
Hello,
We inform you that the Federal Ministry of Works has approved the
release of $10 Million US Dollars Contract payment fund through our
oil reserved option payment Bank London which have the mandate to
transfer your full over due contract payment fund. by the Ministry of
Finance. I tried to reach you on the phone to give you all information
about your fund release, but I could not get through so I decided to
email you.
Please let me without delay hear from you regards to this new
development.for more information please get back to me as soon as
possible.
Your faithfully.
Dr. Kingsley.
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Anti-fraud resources: