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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Thomas Kellem" <seller3445@gmail.com>
Reply-To: stephnny9765@daum.net
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2022 20:40:00 -0700
Subject: please get back to me as soon as possible
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Attention Beneficiary
Following the Notification that we have Just Received from the
Representative Attorney and the Financial Institution in Regards to
the Delivery of Your Funds and having being updated by the Financial
Institution Stating that you the Beneficiary of the sum of
US$5,500,000.00 this Funds was Awarded to you by the International
Monetary Funds Commission and World Bank Plc Reason being to Promote
the Nation and Encourage Entrepreneurship and this Funds have been
Processed and is Ready for Delivery but to my Greatest Surprise you
have not Collected this Funds and we have been trying to Contact You
and You have not been Picking Your Calls Nor Replying our
Emails. why we are calling You is to Confirm from you as a Lady know
as Nancy Peterson came to my office Yesterday Claiming that she is
Your Daughter and You asked her to Claim the Funds she Offered to pay
for the Delivery and stated that You asked her to Collect the Funds on
Your behalf Please we will like you to Please Confirm to us and if You
never sent her Please can You Reconfirm and get back to us so we can
Commence on the Delivery of Your Funds Immediately Please You are to
Reconfirm the Following
Name................................
Address...............................
Phone Number..........................
Email ..............................................
Please as we have Stated this is a Matter of urgency we need you to
get back to us as soon as Possible as this is a Matter of Urgency as
we will be Awaiting Your Reply and note that You will be getting Your
Funds Delivered to You in the Next 48 Hours after Reconfirmation
Thanks very Much and God Bless You
i will be looking forward to hearing from you soonest
From Dr Sarah Mohamed
Remitting Officer
International Monitoring Funds Commission
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Anti-fraud resources:
