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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:
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mark Harris" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <m_harris_006@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2017 20:33:57 -0700
Subject: Re: CHARITY WORK
Hello!
I hope you are having a wonderful and blessed day? I am contacting you to share a very confidential opportunity that came up in my company. The opportunity will be of immerse benefit to us and to the less privilege children in the society. I have always wish to invest in charity works, like building orphanage homes and giving donations to orphanages in different countries because I grow up as an orphan. My desire to help the less privilege ones in the society motivated me to contact you through this medium. Though it may appear inappropriate to contact you in this way, but I sincerely request that you pardon me and grant me your attention by giving me a benefit of doubt.
I sincerely want you to partner with me in utilizing this rare and God`s given opportunity which I shall share with you when I receive your favorable response.
Remain blessed and enjoy your day.
Mark Harris.
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Anti-fraud resources:
