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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:
- "00,000.00" (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 next of kin scam.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. William Lummis Esq" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williamlummisesq@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2016 18:13:21 -1000
Subject: Notification of Bequest
I am Mr. William Lummis attorney to late Howard Hughes. Sorry I am contacting you late it's due to circumstances beyond my control as I reach you on behalf of the Trustees and Executors of the Estate of Late Howard Hughes.
It is my pleasure to inform you that late Howard Hughes before his death appointed you as one of his beneficiaries to his “WILL”. He left the sum of Five Million Two Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling. (£5,200,000.00), to you in the codicil and last testament to his “WILL” which has been ascertained.
Definitely this may sound outrageous to you, but it is real and true. Late Howard Hughes was a great philanthropist and it earned him numerous awards during his lifetime and according to him this money is to support your activities and to help the poor and needy.
I will need your help to cross check the details in his last WILL testament to be sure I am in contact with the right person. Therefore I advise you furnish me with your personal details as below so as to enable me confirm my contact to you as the right person before releasing more information's regarding the fund collection.
1. Full Name
2. Telephone number
3. Contact Address
4, Occupation
5. ID Identification
Please respond to me once you read the e-mail with the above information to help me check on my file to know if you are indeed the rightful person before we proceed for the fund release to you as the rightful beneficiary.
Yours in Service,
Mr. William Lummis Esq. (KSM)
Tel +447452159305
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Anti-fraud resources:
