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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 us 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- 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.
- imf.agent@aol.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "THE IMF AGENT - SWITZERLAND" <info@sm.com>
Reply-To: imf.agent@aol.com
Date: 14 Nov 2019 04:59:34 +0300
Subject: Re: GOODNEWS YOUR FUND IS RELEASED.
Dear Fund Owner,
IMF FUND COMPENSATION AND PAYMENT RELEASE FOR LOTTERY-WINNERS, CONTRACTORS AND OTHER UNPAID-FUNDS
Your compensation fund is ready for you to receive to your would be nominated country and account which is $4,000,000 (Four Million US Dollars). Our organization confirmed this update today. But we need the following information from you to enable us submit it to the designated paying bank which will be revealed to you upon confirmation of the required information to match-up your email address in our database. This fund is deposited in your favor by The IMF in Geneva Switzerland which submitted your email in respect to your current predicament. It is very important that you reply this message immediately you receive it.
Once again kindly re-confirm your information accordingly.
1. NAMES:
2. CONTACT ADDRESS:
3. NATIONALITY/ORIGIN:
4. CURRENT COUNTRY:
5. DATE OF BIRTH:
6. MAN/WOMAN:
7. JOB TYPE:
8. MOBILE NUMBER:
9. EMAIL ADDRESS:
10. SINGLE/MARRIED:
All information should be sent to imf.agent@aol.com
Congratulations and have a nice day!!!
Joseph K. Ingram
Senior Director
For; IMF Geneva-Switzerland.
Email To: imf.agent@aol.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
