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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:
- "million dollars" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Olivia Borreago <missroselinevira@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Miss Olivia Borreago <missoliviaborreago@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2016 11:44:05 +0900 (JST)
Subject: May the peace be unto you and your family
Hello My Beloved,
This is Ms Olivia Borrego from Estonia writing from the hospital here in
Ivory Coast; therefore this email is very urgent to attend. I want you
to know that I’m dying here in this hospital right now which i don't
know if i will see some few days to come. I have an orphan child, named
Maranatha Augustine and $ 4.5 million Dollars I inherited from my late
father, my step mother and her children are after Augustine because he
knows about the poison,so I want you to help Augustine out of this
country with the money. Kindly get back to me if you can help so that i
will direct you on what to do so that this money can be transfer to you
and you will help Augustine out of this country. i will be waiting to
hear from you May Almighty God bless you and use you to accomplish my
wish. Pray for me always. Ms Olivia Borrego
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Anti-fraud resources:
