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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: "Mrs. Sharon Wilson"<wilsonsharon@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <wilsonsharon027@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2015 00:17:55 +0800
Subject: The most benevolent
THE MOST BENEVOLENT
My name is Mrs Sharon wilson. I was married to Patrick wilson for the past 35yrs without a child to call our own. As we cannot question the will of GOD, my husband and I have decided to invest our hard earns fund we have laboured for the course of humanity and the work of God In the course of this service my husband fell ill and was diagnosed of cancer of the lungs. And we have been battling with this ailment for the past 10 years which eventually took his life on the 55 may, 2011. As a result of the shock of my husband death I suddenly developed blood pressure which finally led to partial paralysis. Life has been unfair to me as I can no longer be active in the course of my duty as a result of ailment my physician now advice that the chance of my survival is very remote and besides my husband fighting very hard to inherit our hard earned fund and landed properties worth $ 25 million us dollars. I Mrs S. wilson have decided and concluded to will our hard earned fund, to propagatio
n of God. I hereby use th
I am willingly without any force applied on me donating this fund for the above purpose. The fund is $25 million Us dollars .
I shall give my Attorney every documents that will entitle you the original beneficiary of the fund.
I awaits your prompt Response.
Regards,
Mrs. Sharon Wilson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
