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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:
- "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)
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- sgtannhester1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ann Hester" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sgtannhester1@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:24:32 -0800
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME
Attention
Sir/Ma,
(This mail is private and should not be shared with someone for security reasons.)
To whom it may concern. My name is Sgt Ann Hester, a member in the U.S. ARMY
Medical troop, which was deployed to Iraq for peace keeping,
some of my men are back home to the state but only few remain like me for
special service due to the current situation in Libya.
I will send to you photos and my military identity scan copy in my next mail
to you.
I made total sum of $7.5 Million US dollars the funds is an oil business money I
did with some Iraqi citizens worth over 42 million US dollars, but the $7.5
million US dollars stated is my share on the business and it? legal.
The most important thing is ''Can I Trust You? Am offering you 30% share of
the total funds while we use the rest 70% for our investments.
This funds is currently available and i will be presenting you as my relative who is to receive the fund for me within 72 Hours.
Kindly indicate on your next mail positively to assist me and to partner with
me so i will provide to you more detail information's on how we will move
forward.
kindly get back to me with the following information below?. (sgtannhester1@hotmail.com)
Your Full Name:
City:
Country:
Home Address.
Age:
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
E-mail Address:
Regards,
Sergeant Ann Hester
sgtannhester1@hotmail.com
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