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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:
- "million us 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Vitaly A. Markelov" <amministrazione@grupposigma.it>
Date:
Subject:
Good day,
I am Vitaly A. Markelov, an Investor and Deputy Chairman-Mgmt Board of Gazprom Pao, Russian Federation. In view of the very severe effects of current economic sanctions imposed on Russia by a number of countries led by the Unites States and some European Union Member States, I ask for your consent to help receive and invest a total of Fifty Million US Dollars held with a financial institution in Canada to avoid a possible confiscation by the US Government.
Please reply for more details.
Kind Regards,
Vitaly A. Markelov
Moscow-Russia.
email to contact:- redacted@domain.name
****************************** ***************************
Do not doubt this letter or disregard it as a Spam , as I am ready to give you
attention.
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Anti-fraud resources:
