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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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- msule4@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- interested in working with me, please contact me by email at msule4@gmail.com , mohadsule2@gmail.com and don’t forget to keep this as (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: mohadsule <brre_brre1@att.net>
Reply-To: mohadsule9@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:45:28 -0800 (PST)
Subject: PLEASE HELP TO INVEST AS MY PARTNER
My dear Friend Good Day,
Asalam Aliyekum
I got your information from the research, I made by myself via the internet.. I have with a shear of $8.5 million that we can invest together. This money was realized from natural resource that we mined during the years of wars; of which we were in control of many mines. Our commander General Laurent Nkunda has been arrested in Rwanda. Click below to read more:Â http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7846339.stm
The money is deposited into a private security firm in South Africa. Waiting for your response and interest in assisting me.
Â
At the moment I am waiting for you to accept and become my oversea partner with the view to make a proper investment. Once you are interested in working with me, please contact me by email at msule4@gmail.com , mohadsule2@gmail.com and donât forget to keep this as a TOP-SECRET.
Awaiting your urgent reply,
Mohad Sule + 27843250393
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Anti-fraud resources: