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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found 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.
- akd_hart1@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: PRIVATE CONTACT <private.contact@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: privatecontact11@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 15:07:29 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: DEAR RESPECTFULL PLEASE CAN I TRUST YOU?
DEAR RESPECTFULL PLEASE CAN I TRUST YOU?
My name is Dr. Akin Hart a Gambian by nationality, a former Bank Director Standard Chartered Bank of Gambia (S.C.B.G). I have a huge sum of $160M to invest in your country.
It may interest you to know how I come across this money, I came across this money since 2006 as there was a problem in my country which coursed public looting of companies as well as banks all over the country.
And during this crises, I as a director of the above bank, I discovered this huge sum in the bank and there is nothing I could do hence people are running to a nearby countries to save their lives, then I decided and smuggled this money out of the country and kept it in a safe place for an investment project and ran out of the country like others.
Now my contacting you now is you to stand by my side as my business partner and move this money to your country and invest this money in a nice venture that will be ok as you may direct because I don't have any idea of business.
All I need is your sincere truth that you will not betray me when finally the money get to your hands because I want to trust this money to your care for the investment in your country as I have said above. I am totally happy as I secured this money out from Gambia without any problem and would not want any one to distroy my long time effort.
I have concluded within me and my God that both of us will discuss on what
PERCENTAGE you will take for your good assistance from the total money while you will help me invest my due share in a viable investment as I told you above.
Please get back for more details on how you will clam this money and for us to arrange for the investment as planned.
As soon as I hear from you I will link you to where the fund was keeping.
I am awaiting your urgent reply.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr. Akin Hart.
Please reply through your email ID TO akd_hart1@yahoo.co.jp
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