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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "abidjan" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Alfonso and Linda" <alfiba@hotmail.fr>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:25:33 -0200 (BRST)
Subject: Please permit our introduction
Please permit our introduction
I am Alfonso Williams and my Sister's name Linda. We are writing to seek
your help and advice. We want to do investment in your country and at the
same time further our education. We got your contact address through our
late father's international business directory and we decided to contact
you to seek for your kind assistance in helping us invest our inheritance
in your country.
We lost our parents few years ago. Our father and his half brother were
murdered by assailants during a mid-night rebel shoot-out in our country
Sierra Leone. Our mother sustained a very severe bullet injury the same
night which resulted to her untimely death four days after she was rushed
down to a private hospital.
Shortly before this unfortunate incident, my father had informed me about
an important business deal he had executed with some of his colleagues in
the office. He told me that he diverted some money totalling $8,300.000
which they realized from the sale of gold and diamonds in the black
market. He told me that he deposited the money in a Fixed/Suspense accoun=
t
in Abidjan Cote d=92Ivoire West Africa. He showed me the deposit document
with which he used to deposit the money in the bank with my name as the
beneficiary.
Now we want to finally relocate to your country with this money so that w=
e
can start a new life and further our education. We have visited the bank
where our father deposited the money and identified ourselves properly an=
d
informed them about the sad fate our father had suffered.
We are writing to know if you can help us stand as our guardian and as ou=
r
late father's oversea business partner and also help us secure the bank
requirements so that the bank can release and transfer the money to your
bank account on our behalf. We will give you 15% of the money as
compensation. You will help us invest the remaining money in any
profitable business which you will consider in your country and you will
also get a school for us so that we can further our education. If you can
help us do this, we will need your contact to submit to the bank so that
the bank will contact you. We hope to hear from you soon. Thank you and
May God bless you and your family.
Yours Sincerely
Alfonso and Linda
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