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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "million united states 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)
- "million 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)
- "alkere002@voila.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "alkere002@voila.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Alfred Kere <alkere001@voila.fr>
Reply-To: alkere002@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2011 22:58:42 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Proposal, We discover about $ 22 million United States dollars at
the crises.
I am General Alfred Kere,
alkere002@voila.fr
I am the commander of the International Security Assistant forces (ISAF) in Cote dâivoire West Africa.
First and foremost I sincerely apologize to you through this medium of communication.
We discover about $ 22 million United States dollars at the crises that made the president Lorent Gbagbo to lose his seat, on this process i acquire the sum of $ 10.5 million dollars without the knowledge of anyone.
I can not transfer this funds with my name to any country in order not to face further military governing rules regarding this Huge amount and also to protect my status as a France 4 Star Army General.
I want to transfer this funds secretly to somewhere without any trace and invest it, I am seriously looking for matured person to help me in receiving this funds on my behalf, though since then i deposited the fund to a security company and they registerd my consignment as a family volt and did not know the content.
I am offering you 30% of the total fund and the remaining 70% will be invested in your country with your partnership.
This deal will cost you no risk just give me a promise that you will not betrayed me and contact me on my personal email below for further discussion. email: alkere002@voila.fr
Thanking you in anticipation.
Best regards
Gen Alfred Kere
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