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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "AGATHA AGATHA" <"AGATHA."@chive.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "AGATHA AGATHA" <agathamarine@citromail.hu>
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2016 19:04:07 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greetings,
Greetings,
Thanks for your attention and I pray that my decision to contact you will be
given genuine approval. My name is Miss Agatha. I'm the only daughter of my
Late Father. I humbly write to seek for your partnership and assistance in the
transfer and investment of my inheritance funds amount Fifteen Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States of American Dollars (US$15,500,000.00) from my
late father who died mysteriously. I wait your response for more details. I
will offer you 30% of the money.
Please fill the below form and send to me when replying if you are interested.
Full Name:.................
Full Address:..............
Telephone Number:..............
Mobile Number:..............
Age:.............
Occupation:...............
Your Email:.................
Country of Origin:................
Sex:...............
I will appreciate if you treat this matter as top confidential.Please get back
to me urgently on receipt of this message,
Do not forget to include your direct telephone and fax numbers for further
communication.
I will like to invest on these areas below: Awaiting your urgent reply. .
1) Transport Industry
2) Mechanized agriculture.
3} Estate investment
4) Orphanage home
Best Regards
Miss Agatha
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