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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- michaeljenson84@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Micheal Jenson. ESQ" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michealjensonlaw@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 21:07:59 -0700
Subject: Reliable Fellow
Dear Sir,
My name is Barrister Michael B Jenson, a Surinamese born US
citizen,presently residing with my family here in United States of
America.
As a financial attorney practicing here in US, I have exclusive
information and access to few clients of mine now diseased. I
specifically developed person interest to source for a trust worthy
person by receiving the fund on my behalf. You role is to stand in as
the next-of-kin while I perfect all the required legal documents to
have the funds repatriated to India for our mutual benefit.
Kindly revert back on receipt of this proposal to enable me divulge
further details of transaction proper.
I await your urgent response.
Kindly revert to my on my private email :michaeljenson84@gmail.com
Yours Sincerely,
Michael B Jenson
Attorney At Law.
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Anti-fraud resources: