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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:
- "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: "Mr. Matthew Thomas" <alex@portoweb.com.br>
Reply-To: matthewthomas.2@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2017 19:24:56 -0300
Subject: IT IS URGENT ( I HAVE INFORMATION FOR YOU )
Good Day My Dear
Please I have an important information for you. But,I am not
comfortable disclosing the information because i do not know
if I am talking to you, ( the real owner of this Email ID)
Whom we also have your other details in our data.
So I would like you to confirm your real name /as Proof that
you are the owner of this email ID, then I will furnish you
with the information /good news that we have for you.(for
security reasons)
I am waiting for your urgent reply
Thanks
Mr Matthew Thomas.
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Anti-fraud resources:
