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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: Mariam Nasser Habib Musa <mariam01.2013@yandex.com>
Reply-To: Mariam Nasser Habib Musa <m.nasserhabib.m2015@yandex.com>
Date: Fri, 22 May 2015 23:22:08 +0900 (JST)
Subject: In Good Faith
Dear beloved One,
I am Mrs.Mariam Mrs. Nasser Musa Habib, wife of Nasser Habib, from Angola
who was until his death an exporter of Gold and oil explorer in Kuwait and
Angola for twelve years before he died.
I am sending you this email in regards to my last wish. I have been
diagnosed with cancer for a very long period. I have been touched to Will the
sum of $ 3.2million US dollars [three million two hundred million US dollars]
from what I have inherited from my late husband to you to assist me to distribute
my funds to charity organization if you are willing to assist me bring my heart
desire to manifestation for the glory of God Allah, kindly reply me to enable
me give you every legal information that will enable you to claim the Fund for and
my next of kin and help me conclude this humanitarian project as I cannot handle this project from my sick
bed. I will be waiting for your response.
Thanks and God bless you.
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Anti-fraud resources:
