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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 united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- sinbaloyi@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Simon <dilemmasimon@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sinbaloyi@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 10:23:01 -0700
Subject: Hello
*Hello,*
*CONTRACT U.S$50,000 000.00 Million (Fifty Million United State Dollars)*
*I work in General Information in the Bank here in South Africa. I contact
you because of the Trust in you to Reinvest the dormant funds/account of
late client, **Muammar Gaddafi family,former president of Libya.This time
is to move this amount out of this country. *
*The amount of this fund* *is U.S $50,000 000.00 Million (Fifty Million
Dollars) be rest assured that this deal is 100% risk free. Your will
involved as the original owner of the money because is a foreigner like
you. I have the needed details to claim the fund if your interested.*
*For your involvement in this Business partner, you will receive 25% of the
total money.*
*Reply for details and procedures.*
*Email sinbaloyi@yahoo.com <sinbaloyi@yahoo.com>*
*Feel free to check the site :**http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-22745618
<http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-22745618>*
*Yours faithfully *
*Mr.Simon Baloyi*
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