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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ms. Roxane Oudraogo" <roxaneoudraogo@mail.ru>
Reply-To: "Ms. Roxane Oudraogo" <oms.roxane@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2015 17:02:00 +0900 (JST)
Subject: READ CAREFULLY AND KEEP CONFIDENTIAL.
Dear Friend,
I am Ms. Roxane Oudraogo, Auditing and Int'l
Relationship Manager (ECB) Burkina Faso. I got your email account while
searching for a business oriented personality and i am happy to find you. I
bring forth a business proposal worth Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars Only.($12.500.000 USD) to be transferred to a foreign
account with your assistance acting as beneficiary and next-of-kin to the Inheritance
funds. If you know you are capable of involving and partaking in this
transaction, let me know. More details comes following your reply.
I am waiting for your urgent reply so that we will starts immediately.
Sorry if you received this letter in your spam, Due to recent connection error
here in my country
Regards,
Ms. Roxane Oudraogo
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Anti-fraud resources:
