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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: MR PASCAL MARK <exportgoodsltd@gmail.com>
Reply-To: pascalmarkltd@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2020 12:22:49 +0100
Subject: we are interested to buy your products.
--
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are extending our international trading division to your company
in other to establish sound and long lasting business relationship
with your company for both mutual benefits and profits.
We got your company information through your company Website and we
are interested to buy your products.
We will be very glad to know if your company is in position to supply
us your( Products) with competative price and good conditions, which
are to be supplied to our local markets and other African countries,
as we have a large distribution link here,we purchase and distribute
into many other regional marketal companies and retailers.
Please kindly get back to us with your full company information and
your product offer price list for our study. as to enable us work and
communicate with your company directly. we need your product price
list and qoutations to enable us proceed.
Thanks and best regards,
Mr. Pascal Mark
Director
06 BP 7790 COTONOU PK 5
Tel/Fax: + 229 93079755
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Anti-fraud resources:
