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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: =?UTF-8?Q?Barrister_J=C3=A9an_Bamijovi?= <coperatepentagon.vaultsstocks1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barristerjean_bamijovi@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2015 13:25:58 +0100
Subject: MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW - YEAR IN ADVANCE.
Dear Sir/Madam,
How are you ?
I will been happy to live in your country with you and go to a good
universitiés with a safety - keep of $85.9Million Unitéd Statés of
Américan's Dollars in a private bank IN COTONOU - BENIN ,Wést -
Africa's.
With also $7Billion Unitéd Statés of América's Dollars in British's
Sécurities Stock's Co-opération Company in London , Unitéd - Kingdom
in England in Europé's.
I have send you these électronique e-mail to assist me invest in a
good real - estate's and petroleum company in your country so it can
yield a good profit income(s) for me and you in your country.
How is Brazil World Cup in your country which I heard is Wést -
Germany in Europe's that win the World - Cup in America's.
I will send my international ecowas passport to you for prepared
for my travel tourist to your country because I will want you to take
me like your friend.
I am expecting your urgent reply.
God Bléssed.
Your's Faithfully's,
Barrister Jéan Bamijovi LLC SAN Jnr.
Accra - Ghana,
West - African's,
Africa's.
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