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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 message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- 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.
- chris.mensahconsults@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Chris Mensah <janet@educharmelaw.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2016 08:45:35 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Thanks, and please send your reply to: cbmensah@astrosfan.net
>From the office of Chris Brown Mensah.
ATTORNEY AT LAW (ESQ).
Hello,
I am surprised that you did not get my first message to you, I am contacting you once again to know if you are in anyway related to a Mr. Reinhard Hermann (deceased) He named you in his WILL as beneficiary to some fund lodged with a bank. Please kindly get back to me urgently for a more detailed discussion on this matter.. I want you to understand before hand that I can facilitate documentation required to present and also accept you as the next of kin/beneficiary to the said funds even if you are not related to the deceased.
If you wish to proceed with me on this plan, I would like you to provide me with the below information as stated below.
Your Full Name:
Contact Address:
Occupation:
Marital Status:
Tel/Fax Number:
Age:
Thanks, and please send your reply to: cbmensah@astrosfan.net
Chris B. Mensah(Esq).
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
P: +234 81 2651 6663
E: chris.mensahconsults@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
