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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million united state 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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- eric.thompson01@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Barrister Eric Thompson <mrjackanthony@gmail.com>
Reply-To: eric.thompson011@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 4 May 2015 04:34:58 -0500
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST
Barrister Eric
Thompson
259 Government Avenue
Pretoria South Africa
E-mail: eric.thompson01@hotmail.com
NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST
On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mr. Mark
Jeffery, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned
undelivered.
I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same mailing address on the
WILL. I wish to notify you that late Mr. Mark Jeffery made you a
beneficiary to his WILL.
He left the sum of (Sixteen Million United State Dollars) to you in the
codicil and last testament to his WILL. This may sound strange and
unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Being a widely traveled man,
he must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you were
nominated to him by one of his numerous friends abroad who wished you good.
Mr. Mark Jeffery, until his death was a member of the Helicopter Society
and the Institute of Electronic & Electrical Engineers in the United State
of America.
He was a very dedicated Christian who loved to give out. His great
philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time. Late Mr. Mark
Jeffery died on the 14th day of February 2009 at the age of 67 years and
his WILL is now ready for execution. (May his soul rest in peace).
Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me by the
above email and office address to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear
from you in no distant date.
Kindly reconfirm the below information’s
(a) Your Full Name:
(b) Your Private telephone and fax numbers
(c) Your Company address
Regards,
Barrister Eric Thompson
259 Government Avenue
Pretoria South Africa
E-mail: eric.thompson01@hotmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
