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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.
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- jr39515@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: James Rodriguez<edominguezl>
Reply-To: jr39515@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 00:40:53 +0530
Subject: LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOUR RESPONSE?
FROM: REV. HARRISON DAVID WORLD DEBT RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE Attention: We=
are pleased to inform you that we are World Debt Reconciliation Committee =
newly set up by the International Bank for Reconciliation and Development (=
WORLD BANK) And the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Based on series of p=
etitions we received from International Bodies such as Cooperate Bodies and=
Non Governmental Organization (NGO on the Inability of some Government of =
different countries in the World, World Lottery Organization to settle thei=
r clients Contract debt, Inheritance Fund and Winning prize fund. After an =
extensive close door meeting between the Director Reserve Bank of India and=
WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND), it was resolved and agreed upon t=
hat this body world international debt reconciliation committee will work e=
xtensively to ensure that your Lottery Winning prize fund will be paid with=
out any hitch and delay through the Insurance body. Be rest ensure that you=
r fund will immediate release to you as soon as we hear from you regarding =
your winning prize. We will advise you to explains us in details reason why=
you have not yet receive your fund and also let us know the organization w=
here your money was originated. Note that immediately we hear from you. We =
will be called back money from its various point where it has been tied up =
and will transfer it to your bank account You are advised to contact the un=
dersigned Director on his Email address: jr39515@gmail.com Thanks for your =
co-operation. Yours Faithfully, REV. HARRISON DAVID Chairman, World Debt Re=
conciliation Committee
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Anti-fraud resources:
