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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
- eze_obi_1@yahoo.de (Yahoo, Germany; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "EZE OBI" <eze_obi23@msn.com>
Reply-To: eze_obi_4@myway.com
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 18:51:12 +0000
Subject: please reply me
FROM: MR. Eze obi
Dear Friend,
I am Eze obi chairman contract award committee for the petroleum special
trust fund.I know that these letters will come to you as a surprise since we
have not met in person. please bear with me. we are in search for a reliable
and honest partner abroad that we can entrust with the sum of us$35
million.(THIRTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY)
These funds originated from contract we executed for the petroleum trust
fund (PTF) Purpose for the supply and installations of oil-pipeline to
Port-Harcourt and Warri Refineries. This contract has been executed and full
payments have been made to the contractors who executed these contract
leaving behind us$35 million as an over-invoice amount for we the committee
members. In view of this,my colleagues have mandated me to look for a
foreign partner abroad who will receiveThese fund on our behalf. Which means
that you will provide us with any account of your choice where we can lodge
these fund immediately.I will be visiting your country upon your
confirmation in receipt of fund in your nominated account to know you better
and discuss investment or importation of goods back to our country.
DISBURSEMENT OF THE FUND IS AS FOLLOWS:30% of the total sum will be your
shareWhile 60% will be for me and my colleagues 10% will be an outstanding
amount to settle any incurred expenses during the transfer. WE ASSURE YOU
THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE AND VERY LEGITIMATE AS ALL
MODALITIES HAVE BEEN PERFECTED BY US WITH OUR CONNECTION IN GOVERNMENT.
What matters most is honesty on your side and for you to keep everything
confidential until this fund is dully remitted into your nominated account.
If this business interests you, please do not hesitate to email me as a
matter of urgency with your contact phone and fax numbers so that I can give
you more details. Cheers and God bless you.
MR.Eze obi
please reply me throught my altanative email box ;eze_obi_1@yahoo.de
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