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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 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)
- "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.
- 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.
- mrsmelaniatrump26@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Melania Trump" <nakazaki@amail.plala.or.jp>
Reply-To: mrsmelaniatrump26@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2018 16:26:25 +0900
Subject: Welcome to the first lady Mrs. Melania Trump Office.
Welcome to the first lady Mrs. Melania Trump Office.
Good Day.
I am Mrs. Melania Trump this is to officially inform you that your overdue payment from West Africa Benin Republic total sum of {$20 Twenty Million dollars} is currently here in my office in white house Washington DC and the funds will be delivered to you as soon as you get back to this office and comply with the requirement as needed to deliver your total fund to you as well. Your home address and your cell phone numbers is highly needed to complete this delivering to you as well,
Bear in mind that is the only office that is in charge of delivering your fund to you due to the regard to my husband Mr. Donald Trump. And you will have to pay the sum of $260.00 to the Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic to enable them secure the Approval Document and send it over to you before your funds will be delivered to you .You are advised to comply with the instructions from this office & every information as you will need to contact the Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic will be given to you from this office to avoid any kind of mistake,
Here is my number.(206-430-6891) you can call me or send me an sms, but i prefer sms because I'm always busy in the white house and i cant be able to pick calls all the time. Email( mrsmelaniatrump26@gmail.com )
Remain Blessed,
Mrs.Melania Trump
The White House (Official Residence of the President of the US)
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500 US) (Official Residence of the President of the US.
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