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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "your humble assistance" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs. Jessica Kattans<spam@par.com.pl>
Reply-To: jessicka225@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2018 17:12:45 +0000
Subject: !Your Urgent Assistant Is Needed ..
Hello dear respected,
Compliment of the season. My name is Mrs. Jessica Kattan from Sierra-Leone. I live in Abidjan here with my only son Ramon a 17 years old boy. I am suffering from a long time disease (Throat Cancer) which started immediately i come back from the Village for my late husband’s funeral and I have tried many medications but all to no avail.
I am contacting you because I have some money 7,500,000.00 which I will need your humble assistance to help me receive in your account in your country for investment and for the well-being of the poor in your country or elsewhere in the world. You will also be required to help my son Ramon to come over to your country to further his education. If you are interested, reply me immediately for more details.
I and my son Ramon have agreed to give you 25% of this money as thanks for your assistance.
We will also give you extra 5% to cover any expenses which you may incur in seeing to the successful transfer of this fund to your account.
I wait for your reply. may god bless you.
Yours beloved sister and son,
Mrs. Jessica Kattan and son Ramon.
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Anti-fraud resources:
