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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:
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: amina <aminawawan@cantv.net>
Reply-To: amina.wawan@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2010 20:10:53 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From Mrs. Amina Wawan
Dear in Christ
I am married to Mr. GAMBO WAWAN who worked with CAMEROUN embassy in
Ivory Coast for nine years before he died in the year 2008. We were
married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness
that lasted for only four days. I decided not to remarry or get a child
outside my matrimonial home which the Bible is against.When my late
husband was alive he deposited the sum of $9.5Million (Nine million five
hundred thousand U.S. Dollars) with one of the bank in Abidjan.
Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Eight
months due to cancer problem and the one that disturbs me most is my
stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund
to a church that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct
herein. I want a church that will use this fund for orphanages, widows,
propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of God is
maintained. I took this decision because I don’t have any child that
will inherit this money and I don’t want my husband’s efforts to be used
by unbelievers. I don’t want a situation where this money will be used
in an ungodly way.
I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am
going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that “the
Lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peaceâ€. With God all things
are possible.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank
in Abidjan. I will also issue you an authority letter that will prove
you the present beneficiary of this funds. I want you and the church to
always pray for me because the Lord is my shephard. Whoever that wants
to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and truth. Any delay in your
reply will give me room in sourcing another church for this same
purpose.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Amina Wawan
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