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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "BENARD SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bsmithfamily@naseej.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:18:53 -0000
Subject: PLEASE KEEP CONFIDENTIAL.
DEAR SIR,
PEACE BE UNTO YOUR FAMILY. MY NAME IS BERNARD SMITH I
AM WRITING YOU CONCERNING MY FAMILY THAT EXPERIENCED
A SERIOUS WAR IN MY COUNTRY REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA.
MY FATHER HAPPENED TO BE A POLITICIAN THAT IS SO
INFLUENTIAL IN THE AFFAIRS OF MY COUNTRY UNTIL HIS
DEATH.
HE GOT ASSASSINATED BY REBELS THAT ASKED HIM TO
SUPPORT THE WAR WITH HIS MONEY TO PURCHASE ARMS.MY
FATHER REFUSED TO DO IT THAT WAS WHY HE WAS BRUTALLY
MURDERED AND MY FAMILY HOUSE BURNT TO THE GROUND, MY
TWO ELDER SISTERS WERE RAPED AND MURDERED ALONG WITH
MY FATHER.
PRESENTLY I MY MOTHER AND YOUNGER SISTER ARE PRESENTLY
AT THE UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE CAMP IN REPUBLIC OF
GHANA DUE TO FEAR FOR OUR PERSONAL LIVES.
BEFORE THE DEMISE OF MY GREAT FATHER HE DEPOSITED THE
SUM OF $18M USD WITH A REPUTABLE SECURITY AND FINANCE COMPANY HERE IN GHANA,
HE GOT THIS MONEY THROUGH THE SALES OF GOLD AND
PRECIOUS STONES THAT HE TRADES ON,THE CERTIFICATES
THAT COVER THIS MONEY IS AVAILABLE AS PROOF TO MY
CLAIMS.
HE WAS A GOLD AND DIAMOND MERCHANT IN HIS LIFE TIME; MY FATHERS
PLAN WAS TO RELOCATE MY FAMILY OUTSIDE AFRICA DUE TO
THE WAR TO SETTLE THERE BEFORE HE WAS BRUTALLY
MURDERED BY THE REBELS.
MY NAME IS IN THE CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT ISSUED BY THE
SECURITY AND FINANCE COMPANY AS THE NEXT OF KIN.
PLEASE ALL MY FAMILY NEED IS FOR YOU TO HELP US
RETRIEVE THE CONSIGNMENTS FROM THE SECURITY AND FINANCE COMPANY FOR DELIVERY TO YOUR COUNTRY OR POSIBLE TRANSFER TO YOU THROUGH BANK TO
YOUR COUNTRY AS A BENEFICIARY TO MY FAMILY THAT CAN
RECEIVE THE MONEY ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY PENDING WHEN
YOU SEND US INVITATION SO THAT WE CAN COME TO YOUR
COUNTRY TO INVEST IN A SMALL SCALE VENTURE AND START A
NEW LIFE.
MY FAMILY ALSO WANTS YOU TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE FOR MY
FAMILY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT.
MY FAMILY IS WILLING TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM
AS THE BENEFICIARY THAT WILL INVEST THE MONEY FOR US,
AS SOON AS I GET YOUR REPLY I WILL LOOK FOR A LAWYER
THAT IS VERY GOOD IN INTERNATIONAL LAW THAT CAN MAKE
AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND MY FAMILY.
MY FAMILY WANTS TO LEAVE AFRICA TO START A NEW
LIFE.REPLY ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL TO
CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL.I HAVE FORWARD TO YOU MY FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH
INCLUDING MY REFUGEE IDENTITY CARD FOR YOU TO SEE.
MY REGARDS TO YOUR FAMILY,
BERNARD SMITH
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