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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 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)
- ",500,000" (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.
- 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.
- garymahmood@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Gary Lay Mahmood" <mahmood.l@mail.com>
Reply-To: garymahmood@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2015 21:31:08 +0200
Subject: SEEKING INVESTMENT MANAGER
Sir/Madam,
Funds Investments.
My family would like to invest $5,500,000:00 million dollars, and R4million rands South Africa currency here (South Africa ) My name is Gary Lay Mahmood from Central African Republic (Bangui) . I arrived here with my brother through the ship and our luggages boxes still here in Harbor in Durban city.
Me and my brother arrvied here and We decided to find our refuse here due to the recent political crises in our region which many lost their properties and lifes.
We need your assistance as a business owner or citizen of this country to help us invest the funds,we are seeking for your help as indigence nor ID carrie business owner.
I wait for your swifts response with your personal information to enable me give you the details of the completions and how my family got the funds.
Email:garymahmood@gmail.com
Best regards.
Gary Lay Mahmood
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