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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:
- ",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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Attorney Michael Stewart" <bshopcommunications@rajkumarindustries.com>
Reply-To: attornymichaelstewart@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2015 19:23:50 -0700
Subject: Please reply my message...
I am Michael Stewart (Attorney) and due to your non response to our earlier=
mail on behalf of the Trustees and Executors to the Will of our late clien=
t, we wish to notify you that you are listed as the beneficiary to the tota=
l sum of =A314,500,000.00 (Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand British P=
ounds) in the Codicil to the last Will and testament of the deceased. We th=
erefore reckoned that you can receive these funds as you are qualified by y=
our name identity and Legal documents will be processed on your acceptance.=
Kindly forward your address to enable us file necessary documents at the H=
igh Court (Probate Division) for the release of these sum to you. We look f=
orward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely Attorney Michael Stewart
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Anti-fraud resources: