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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:
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Bryant Wilson " <kasalikhadijat44@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dbryantwilson@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2022 00:39:22 -0800
Subject: Good News
I AM Diplomatic Agent.. "Bryant Wilson" I have been trying to reach
you on your email about an hour now just to inform you about my
successful arrival in Houston George Bush international Airport
Texas,(USA), with your ATM MasterCard worth $11.7million USA
dollars which I have been instructed by UNITED NATION DIPLOMATIC
COURIER COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority
demanded for all the legal back up to prove to them that the fund is
no way related with drug or fraud money,So reply with your current info
to avoid wrong delivering such as your.
phone number... Age.. home-address.. Country.. Occupation... and your valid ID
I have presented the papers and handed it over to them and they are
very much pleased with the papers I presented, but the only thing that
is still keeping me here is the is your Ownership Certificate which is not
here with me. The ATM MasterCard of the Airport Authority has advise that we
get the delivery tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and
make my delivery successful.
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Anti-fraud resources:
