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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)
- "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: "kaptan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <obi8080@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2017 13:59:44 +0800
Subject: Merhaba
Dear Mr name is kaptain , I am an American army
contractor in afganistain.
( Dostum adi Ben bir Amerikali ordu duyuyorum, kaptan
Afganistan'da yuklenici, )
I am looking for a partner that will received
twenty million dollars on my behalf in your country ,
( Ben alacak bir ortak ariyorum
ulkenizde benim adina yirmi milyon dolar )
we can invest this money in real estates,
hotel or any good business you know about.
( Biz gayrimenkul bu yatirim yapabilirsiniz
otel ya da hakkinda bilmek herhangi bir iyi is.)
I will tell you more detail when you reply.
( Eger cevap zaman sana daha fazla ayrinti anlatacagim. )
you will take 35% of total capital.
( toplam sermayenin% 35'ini alacak .)
i wait your urgent reply.
( Ben senin acil yanit bekliyor. )
Regards/Saygilarimizla
Kaptain.
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Anti-fraud resources:
