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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 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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "nasrwill@live.com" (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: Nasr Williams <officecom11@yahoo.co.th>
Reply-To: Nasr Williams <nasrwill@live.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:37:49 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: PLEASE GET BACK TO ME.
Good day.
I am Dr. Nasr Williams; i got your profile during my re-search on the internet. I am a medical doctor 45 years old and it may interest you to know that i am a MAN of peace and i only hope that we can assist each other. Last two years ago, a patient from your nationality died on the cost of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cancer in my hospital.
Before he died he left a deposit of $ 9.5 million dollars in a certain bank which after the burial at the Accra cemetery, i was able to go to the bank to confirm that the fund is there. When he was still alive, he planned to use this fund to visit motherless babies home and some churches not until he failed sick and dies.
Ever since this incident happened, i have been in contact with the bank for the release of this fund to me so that i will be able to execute this plans on behalf of the deceased but unfortunately the bank demands that i should provide any relative of the decease of which they are no way to be found. This is the actual reason why i have contacted you to place you as the relative so that this fund can be transfer into your personal bank account in your country where we can visit some orphanage homes and share the rest within our selves.
I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free and should be in case you are interested, do not fail to response as soon as possible.
Respectfully,
Dr. Nasr Williams.
Email: nasrwill@live.com
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