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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:
- "robert mugabe" (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.
- benifredrick@zwallet.com (Zwallet; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Aneka Pauline" <centralmarketpoint@zwallet.com>
Reply-To: "Mrs Aneka Pauline" <benifredrick@zwallet.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 21:30:26 +0100
Subject:
Dear Sir
I am Mrs Aneka Pauline of Zimbabwe wife of late Mr Fredrick William a well
known farmer but my husband died of hearth
attack after the seizure of all his life times investment in Zimbabwe by
the Government of Robert Mugabe and and this
includes his farmes and money in his account. And my but lost nearly all
to the Government of Robert Mogarbe
but I Thank God my husband was able to transfer the sum of USD45.5million
through a deplomatic channel means to one
of the Security Companies outside my Zimbabwe before his death and the
money is contained in two treasury boxes
which we made the security to understand that the boxes are containing
personal effect just fot the security of the fund
and my late husband told the Security Company that the boxes belongs to
one of his customers who will later
contact them for onward transfer of the boxes to him.
Further as a matter of importance, please my reason of contacting you, is
that I am honestly in need of your assistance to
help me and my children transfer this money/boxes to your country for
onward investment in your country for my children
upbringing as we are finding a way to leave this country to settle down
there in your country and continue our lives. You
may wonder how I got your address it was seen in one of my husband's file
and I am sure you may be one of our numerous
customers and I have every trust in you as one who knows my late husband
and as one who will not sit on the money
upon transfer to your account.
Please note that we have no other place to run to until this money gets to
you. Kindly do every thing possible to reply this
mail so as to enable me give you the contact details of the Security
Company where the boxes are immediate transfer of
the money/boxes to your country.
Please reply this mail through this my private email address:
benifredrick@zwallet.com or
l.aneka@postino.it
Thanks and God Bless as I urgently await your reply.
Mrs Aneka Pauline
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