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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "% will be for you" (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)
- "is highly confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrsalansari3@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.S. Al Ansari" <gordonbenedictun@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsalansari3@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2023 00:28:50 -0700
Subject: I seek your approval to release the sum of $52 million USD into your care.
Attn: Sir,
I know you might be surprise to get my email , I got your contact
through a random search through your embassy.Though I never disclose
the business I want to propose to you. My name is Mr.S. Al Ansari, I
am a special assistant to the former Sudanese president. Omar Hassan
Ahmad al Bashir. I seek your approval to release the sum of $52
million USD into your care. This amount was deposited to security
company during the last days of the former president when its clear to
us that he will not survive the protest that was going on around
Khartoum the capital. He directed me to secure that amount with a
security bank.
Now my principal ( the former president) is facing trial he asked me
to look for a trustworthy person whom I will release the money into
his care for business purpose pending when his ordeal is over then you
will release 60% of the total sum to us will 40% will be for you
keeping the fund. Right now I am leaving out side Sudan, if you are
interested in this transaction please send your details to me so that
we can discuss in details about the transaction.
Your Full Names:
Contact Address:
Mobile Phone:
Occupation:
Age:
Please note : This transaction is highly confidential but no risk
involved. I will only present you to the bank as the owner of the
deposit and I will hand over the code to you and they will deliver the
fund to you. Please keep this transaction to yourself even if you are
not interested.
Respond to me through this email address: mrsalansari3@gmail.com
Regards,
Mr.S. Al Ansari
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Anti-fraud resources:
