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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447011137797 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Antonio Jacouris" <jacantonis001@videobank.it>
Reply-To: jacantonis@videobank.it
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:07:06 +0200
Subject: MY INVESTMENT OFFER!!!
Attention Recipient,
I am Mr. Antonio Jacouris a financial consultant. I am writing on behalf of my
client who was a former chief marine engineer with Aquarius Shipping
Agency Ltd
Seychelles now on exile in Switzerland. I writing to bring to your notice his
plans to invest in your company (if you have any) or assist him to invest in
your country. The source of this money is from his over invoiced contract
payment which he did while working as the chief executive of the above company
in Seychelles but the money is currently deposited in a London bank
which I will
reveal to you in my subsequent emails. He is willing to invest in a good
flourishing and thriving business in either your company or your
country through
your assistance if you can assure him of your good and unquestionable status
which revolves through being honest,sincere and trustworthy.
Basically, he will be ready to invest into any wise and profitable business
proposal you might advise him. Please confirm your readiness to
partner with him
in a Joint Partnership Venture. If you can handle this business
proposal, kindly
get back to me with your letter of acceptance and contact details for further
discussions on the subject matter.
On the receipt of your acceptance letter and full contact details, I will send
you a MOU Partnership Agreement to sign and then we can proceed from there to
work out modalities and other documentations such as the investment & project
plans and also legal documents that will help facilitate the transfer of the
fund.
Waiting to hear from you for further information's.
Best regards,
Mr. Antonio Jacouris.
Phone: +44 701 113 7797.
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