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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: FBI AGENT SCOTT SMITH <drtonyodia@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fbiscottsmith@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2017 02:43:31 -0700
Subject: very urgent from fbi investigation
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Our Ref CODE:CBN/SB46/00852
To. Beneficiary.
I am Special Agent Scott Smith and am here in Nigeria as an FBI delegate
that has been delegated to investigate this fraudsters who are in the
business of swindling Foreigners that came for transaction in Nigeria .
Please be informed that during my investigation I got to find out that
there is a huge sum of US$12.5million that has been assigned in your name(
Beneficiary.) and this fraudsters are busy swindling you without any hope
of receiving your fund.
NOTE:We have commenced fully operation in releasing these funds to the owners.
We have to inform you that we have made some arrested in respect of this
delayed over due fund. I have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria here
so I advise you urgently respond to this message .
I shall expect your response as soon as you receive this email. Please
Note that I have attached my Identification to this email. do not inform
any of the people that collected money from you before now about this new
development to avoid jeopardizing our investigation.
Best Regard,
AGENT SCOTT SMITH
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Anti-fraud resources:
