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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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 united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- diplomaticagent49@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WILLIAM EDWARD <"www."@almond.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: WILLIAM EDWARD <diplomaticagent49@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2017 21:05:12 +0900 (JST)
Subject: call or text him (478) 449-2694
This is to thank you for your past effort and kindly assistance. The money has
been transferred into an account provided by a newly found business partner of
mine from Sweden. I wish to compensate you for your past assistance, effort and
commitments that time to help me out. I have arranged with City Bank and issued
an ATM CARD valid at US$9.8 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS for your compensation.
I am in Diego international airport California USA right now to establish some
business and possibly buy some properties.
So I want you to Contact Mr WILLIAM EDWARD then send him your information as
follows below to enable him send you the ATM MASTER CARD.
Full Name.....................
Current Address.................
Occupation ......................
Country ........................
Phone number...............
A copy of
your ID CARD .................
So contact him right now on this email address below and send him the above
information mentioned to enable him to send the ATM MASTER CARD to you
immediately. if possible you can call him on his phone number also there in for
urgent service.
Name; Mr WILLIAM EDWARD
Email address:diplomaticagent49@gmail.com
Phone Number:call or text him (478) 449-2694
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Anti-fraud resources: