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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 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.
- geogelewis406@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr George Lewis" (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2020 03:31:11 -0800
Subject: From Mr George Lewis.
Hello,
Greetings from Global Capital Trades. We are brokers to a deceased
client who died recently of Covid-19. Before his demise he
specifically indicated your contact as a close relative and that in
the case of his death his investments with us should be paid to you.
Before his death he traded in digital currencies with us as that is
our specialty
His investment with us has accrued to the value and sum of
USD1,270.000.00 and according to company rules we must initiate
payment now that the value is high. Experts have predicted that
digital currencies may drop value after the Covid-19 pandemic. We
have tried to make contact with you earlier in the respect of the
remunerations due to you but we also received a message from Mrs.
Veronica Shaws of Canada stating that you were dead thus we should
remit whatever is due to her Canadian Bank Account. We intend to
commence the process of payment through our official bankers once we
determine that you instructed Mrs. Shaws to receive the funds on your
behalf. However if you are alive, it is very important that you
respond to us to confirm that you have authorized Mrs. Veronica Shaws
of Canada to claim the remunerations on your behalf.
Please respond for further details.
Yours faithfully,
Mr George Lewis.
Manager.
Email:geogelewis406@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
