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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:
- "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 "dying merchant" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Patricia Wagner" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patwagner34@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2018 18:17:18 -0400
Subject: Blessed Is The Hand That Giveth
Good day and God bless you
I feel quite safe and satisfy dealing with you in this charity projectMy
name is MRS PATRICIA WAGNER a merchant in Dubai in the UAE I have
been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer It has defiled all forms of medical
treatment and right now I have only about a few months to live according
to medical experts
I have decided to give aims to charity organizations as I want this to be
one of the last good deeds I do on earth So far I have distributed money
to some charity organizations in the UAE Algeria and Malaysia Now that
my health has deteriorated so badly I cannot do this myself anymore
The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of
TWELVE MILLION DOLLARS that I have with a finance Security
Company abroad I will want you to help me collect this deposit and
dispatched it to charity organizations
I have set aside 25 % for you and for your time if you want to help me to
collect this Funds and also invest this money
Email: patwagner34gmail.com
Remain blessed in the name of the Lord
Yours in Christ
Mrs PATRICIA WAGNER
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Anti-fraud resources:
