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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
- hjoanath@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: JOAN HABUK <joan.habuk@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: hjoanath@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 11:39:54 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Dornation From Mrs.Joanath Habuk Alean.
Mrs Joanath Habuk Alean
Avu 2 Rue 11 zone 9
Abidjan Cote D'ivoire
West Africa.Email hjoanath@yahoo.com:
I have to start by introducing myself to you. I am Mrs Joanath
Habuk Alean,suffering from cancer ailment. I am married to Mr.
Habuk Alean
, and my husband worked with the Chevron oil company in United
Kingdom for twenty years before he died in the year 2008.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of 17.5
Million (seventin Million Five Hundred Thousand United State
Dollars) with a security company in cote d' ivoire abijan. I will
give you the contact information if i see your seriosness over
this matter.
Recently,my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to
the
stroke and cancer that i am suffering from. With this hard reality
that
has befallen my family and me, I have decided to donate this fund
to you
and i want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands
effort to help the orphans and less-privileged individuals.I took
this
decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this
money and my
husband relatives are non believers. I know that if this money is
given to them they will surely misuse it and I do not want my
husband's hard earned money to be misused.
Please reply to me immediately, so that i will give you the
directives on how to claim the money.
I am waiting for your urgent response.
Your Beloved Sister in lORD,
Mrs Joanath Habuk Alean.
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