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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 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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- christian_browns@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Christian brown <pamela.p.waters@gmail.com>
Reply-To: christian_browns@aim.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2015 00:36:49 +0100
Subject: My Donation For the Church and less Privileges
Greetings in the name of God,
My name is Christian Brown from United State of America,i'm 70 years old
and i'm very sick and diagnosed for cancer about three years ago,Right now
my doctor has informed me that I may not live for more than two months and
i have decided to donate what i have to the house of God and charity
through you. You may be wondering why I chose you,But I selected you after
I prayed over it. I inherited sum of ($15 million) Fifteenth million US
dollars from my late husband.The fund is deposited with CHASE BANK here in
United State of America. My late husband was very rich man and I inherited
all his wealth after his death.
So I decided to divide part of this wealth to development of house God and
orphanage homes and less privileges here in America and other part of the
world. I'm willing to donate the sum of ($5 million) five million US
dollars to your Church for the charity and less privileges.
As soon as I receive your reply will send you LETTER DONATION Fund and
in-trust the bank to transfer sum of ($5 million) Five million US dollars
into your private or church account after you met the requirements. My
happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian and serve the Lord
in spirit and in truth. Please always pray for my soul. Any delay in his
reply will give me room in sourcing another person for this same purpose.
Hoping to get an answer from you.
Thanks and God bless you.
Madam Christian Brown
Email:christian_browns@aim.com
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