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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:
- "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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Sonia Joseph <sonajoseph206@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sonajoseph6@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2023 02:58:22 -0600
Subject: HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT YOU
*Hello My Dear,*
*I heartily say my sincere greetings to you. I am desperately in need you
to help me enter higher college as the last wish of my late father for me
his only daughter and I was directed by my Ambassador in your country to
contact you that you will assist me **based on **your **trustworthiness
and your honest.*
*Therefore,I hereby most humbly request for your urgent assistance for me
to be admitted into the university I have secured admission.*
* As I said I am the only daughter of my late father Engr. Joseph a marine
engineer who died accidentally by boat mishap, my late father wished me his
only child to go to school and be well educated and he WILLED the sum of
US$25M (Twenty-Five million US Dollars only) for me and for my education.
Now I have secured ADMISSION in Alabama University ( 915 S Jackson Street,
Montgomery 36104-0271 Alabama United States)This my money is still in local
bank, please I want you to assist me receive the money in your foreign bank
account to make it easy for me to pay for my school fees and other school
bills. Please I don't want you to disappoint me so I promise you will take
5% percentage of the money as your reward for assisting me.*
*Am thanking you already for your acceptance to assist me and waiting for
your reply today. Yours Sincerely, Miss Sonia Joseph*
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Anti-fraud resources:
