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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Pamela Hughes" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pamrhes@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 May 2016 10:17:19 -0700
Subject: Re: Still awaiting your prompt response urgently ..
Hello,
Sorry for the sudden invasion of your privacy and please note
that it was not a spontaneous act but rather a well sort
out thought process which has led to this rather prompt communication.
My name is Rachael Hughes and i am currently a staff of the SNS BANK
in the Netherlands but currently on a study course here in the U.K.
Your name came up after s series of search had been conducted with
the assistance of a friend of mine working in the British Chamber
of Commerce as a responsible partner who most likely can be trusted
in a very lucrative business venture which has the potential to
escalate into a much more productive partnership by way of investment
if carefully and meticulously executed.
It has to do with an account which bears your last name but not your
first name and which also by divine orchestration the account in question
has been dormant for a while and has no known next of kin.
Add this up carefully and you will see the light at the end of this
tunnel which i propose.
I will leave it at this stage without going any further till i get
a response from you hopefully in the affirmative of which i will then
disclose to you the details in full.
I will await your reply to this email which will then determine
the next line of action.
Regards,
Ms. Hughes
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Anti-fraud resources: