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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:
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Cellen Edward" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <airbreeze45@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2018 05:11:33 -0700
Subject: Greetings.
I inherited some money ($4.2 Million) from my late husband and I
cannot think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my Late husband's
second wife here in Ivory coast in order to inherit the money, she is
an Ivorian by nationality.
I want you to contact me back As soon as i hear from you that you are
competent to execute my desire, I will instruct my lawyer and the bank
management to make the immediate transfer into your account.I will
give you the documents of the money and will direct you to my lawyer
who will work it out legally for you, the lawyer will assist you to
change the documents of the money to your name to enable the bank
transfer the money to you.
This is the favor I need when you have gotten the money :-
(1) Give 20% of the money to Churches for the work of God.
(2) Give 30% of the money to handicap people and charity organization,
then the remaining one is yours.
And if I don't hear from you, I will look for another person or an organization.
Please get back to me as soon as possible May Almighty God bless you
and use you ACCOMPLISH is my wish.
Mrs.Cellen Edward
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Anti-fraud resources:
