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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.
- 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.
- elizabethmuza0@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Elizabeth Muza" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <elizabethmuza0@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2019 01:00:27 -0500
Subject: Confidential
Good Day
MY FAMILY NEED YOUR INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP ASSISTANCE
With due respect i write you this proposal and believe it would be of great interest to you, I am looking for a reliable and capable foreign investor that will assist me to receive my family fund worth ($4,080,000) abroad and for investment purpose.
The fund is currently deposited in one of the Security and Safety Company. After the death of my father i decided to move out of my country to further my education in a neighboring country where i am currently studying now. I am hoping to move the fund down to your country for investment purpose.
I will give you further instruction on how to proceed if my request for partnership is honored.
I anticipate your quick response, to my Email: elizabethmuza0@gmail.com
Thanks and God bless you.
Elizabeth Muza
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Anti-fraud resources:
