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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: "Senator Olubukola A. Saraki" <hotelschubert@hotel-schubert.eu>
Reply-To: olubukolasaraki00001111@outlook.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:20:37 +0100
Subject: Re: Hello your unpaid funds!!
Hello
This is to notify you of your unpaid funds with reference Number:
AV/FGN/MIN/0017. We Apologies for the delay of your payment, the
Inconveniences and Inflict that the delay might have indulge you through.
However, where having some serious problems with your payment which have
demoralized us, In respect to this payment, one Mr. James Banks submitted
an application that you authorized your funds to be paid to him on your
behalf to this account Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) with Account number
UBS-A943BDG99 with a report that you are now paralyzed as a result of the
ghastly motor accident you had some months back and we would like to
confirm the below.
(1) Did you at any time delegate anybody not even from your family to
claim your fund on your behalf?
(2) Were you involved in a motor accident?
(3) Are you aware or related to one Mr. James Banks? Or neither issued him
any Power of Attorney nor signed any Deed of Agreement?
Kindly confirm to me if you truly authorized this act or not as I sense
that your funds are been diverted, please do ensure that your reply is
sent to this very email address and also include your phone number in your
reply and please do reply to (olubukolasaraki00001111@outlook.com).
Yours faithfully
Senator Olubukola A. Saraki
SENATE PRESIDENT
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Anti-fraud resources:
