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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- musa.ahmed2011@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Musa Ahmed <musa.ahmed2010@gmail.com>
Reply-To: musa.ahmed200@hotmail.fr
Date: Sun, 9 May 2010 18:22:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF: Mr Musa Ahmed.
FROM THE DESK OF: Mr Musa
Ahmed.
AUDITS & ACCOUNTS
DEPT
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (A.D.B)
Ouagaduoguo Burkina Faso.
Private
Phone Number+226 76595320
E-mail musa.ahmed2011@gmail.com
Attention: Please
I am Mr Musa Ahmed. the manager
Audit & Accounts dept. in the african developmnet bank Burkina Faso (ADB). I
am writing to request your assistance to transfer the sum of $15.500.000.00
(Fifteen million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) into your
accounts.
The above sum
belongs to our deceased customer late Mr Jose D. Sau from Peru who died along
with his entire family in the Benin plane crash 2003 and since then the fund has
been in a suspense account.
After my further investigation, I discovered
that Mr Jose D. Sau died with his next of kin and according to the laws and
constitution guiding this banking institution stated that after the expiration
of (8) eight years, if no body or person comes for the claim as the next of kin,
the fund will be channel into national treasury as unclaimed fund. Because of
the static of this transaction I want you to stand as the next of kin so that
our bank will accord you the recognition and have the fund transfer to your
account.
The total sum will be shared as follows: 60% for me, 40% for
you and expenses incidental occur during the transfer will be incur by both of
us.
The transfer is risk free
on both sides hence you are going to follow my instruction till the fund
transfer to your account.
More
details information with the text of application form will be forwarded to you
to breakdown explaining comprehensively what require of you.
Your Full
Name.............................
Your
Sex..................................
Your Age..................
Your
Country...........
Passport / driving license.......
Marital Status...........
Your
Occupation.......
Your Personal Mobile
Number................
Your Personal Fax
Number.....................
Thanks
Mr Musa Ahmed.
Audits &
Accounts Manager
+226 76595320
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