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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mark Kondo <markkondoo001@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2022 12:44:11 +0000
Subject: Good Day
I am Mr.Mark, i work as an accountant in a bank. I need your urgent
co-operation to carry out this business opportunity in my bank, from
my section in the bank i discovered an abandoned sum of $9.6million
dollars that belongs to one of our foreign customer who died with his
supposed next of kin since July 22, 2003. The money has been here in
our Bank lying dormant for years now without anybody coming for the
claim of it. I need your urgent assistance in transferring the fund
into your private bank account.
I want the bank to release the money to you as the relative and the
next of kin to our deceased customer, the Banking laws here does not
allow such money to stay more than 21years,because the money will be
recalled to the Bank treasury account as unclaimed fund. Once the
funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall
then share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you by indicating
your interest i will send you the full details on how the transfer
will be executed.
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Anti-fraud resources:
