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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS JOEMAT PETTERSON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tinapetterson679@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2017 08:06:32 -0800
Subject: GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Attn:
How are you doing today?
open this link to view my profile
http://www.gov.za/about-government/leaders/profile/1449
The reason why i contacted you is for you to assist me receive the fund USD30.5million for investment purposes which you will be compensated with 20% of the total fund as soon as it get's to you.I want you to assure me that you can be able to assist me so that i will furnish you with the contact details of the banker who will help us release the fund, as soon as i get your full assurance that you will carry on the project, then i will email you to tell me the kind of business you are doing so that i can know where to invest the fund.
Feel free to email me, waiting for your reply and please keep this transaction confidential, i will send you more info when i see your seriousness in assisting me.
Get back to me
Tina Joemat-Pettersson,
Minister of Energy
South Africa.
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Anti-fraud resources:
