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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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: f1967@apvm.net
Reply-To: info@estetispa.it
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:46:25 +0530
Subject: From Abiha,
Greetings and Sorry for intruding into your privacy.
My name is Mrs. Abiha Akten. I am a cancer patient and the disease has
taken over my entire system according to medical diagnosis, I want to
donate my inheritance ($32Million US Dollars) that my late husband left
with a financial company in Turkey to you because recently, the doctor
told me that I might not survive the latest Surgery which I have been
booked for.
I want you to use 30% of the fund to build orphanage homes in your country
while 20% goes to cancer research programs and then donate 25% to
institutions housing elderly couples who cannot give birth and homeless
children in their lifetime just like I and my late husband. The remaining
25% goes to you as the person who agrees to carry out my last wish and I
will give you more details only if you are willing and ready to handle
this project. Please reply me as soon as possible. Thank you
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Abiha Akten
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Anti-fraud resources:
