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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- mich.anderson020@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Michael Anderson <mich.anderson020@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <mich.anderson020@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2016 02:24:49 +0100
Subject: Greetings
Greetings.
I am Mr Michael Anderson. I am contacting you in regards to a business
transfer of a huge sum of money which belongs to a deceased client of
our bank.I decided to contact you due to the fact that you both share
similar names.
I am an account Auditor with the management of Bank Of Africa (BOA) and
currently holding the post of bill and exchange manager at the foreign
remittance department of my Bank. I have the opportunity to meet
unclaimed funds (USD$21.300M) that belongs to our deceased customer Mr
Ryan Theng who made a number of months deposit before his untimely
death.
Therefore. I am inviting you for a business deal to transfer this fund
to you over there in your country and this money can be shared between
us at the rate of 50% shares respectively if you agree to my business
proposal. Further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as
soon as I receive your urgent mail confirming your willingness. I assure
you that this business is risk free and will be handled legally to
protect us both from any breach of law.
If you are willing to partner with me in this transaction kindly
contact me through my private email address: mich.anderson020@yahoo.com
so that i can give you more details about the business and a way
forward.
Thanks,
Mr Michael Anderson
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