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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:
- "with your full names" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- barristergilbert1001@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Hilda Cooke <info@admin.com>
Reply-To: <barristergilbert1001@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2016 17:58:10 -0700
Subject: HELLO! REPLY NEEDED.
Hello!
My name is Hilda Cooke ; I was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I am married to Samuel Cooke who passed away recently. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $13,000,000 which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital market both in the UK and USA.
Contact our family lawyer with this specified email address below by quoting my personal reference number Law/chamber/solicitor/hc/inc/WILL/78bwf52016 along with your full names and address:
Barrister Gilbert
Email: barristergilbert1001@yahoo.com
Remain Blessed.
Yours Truly,
Hilda Cooke
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Anti-fraud resources:
