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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:
- "million us 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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Zubaru Amos <zubaruamos1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: zubaruamos@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:52:21 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: URGENT / CONFIDENTIAL
Good day,
My name is Mr.Zubaru Amos, the Manager of Bill & Exchange Department with AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BURKINA FASO WEST AFRICA (ADB). Here in this bank existed a dormant account for the past years which belong to one of our late foreign customer who died along with his entire family in a plane crash that took place in july 2000 in Africa,
When I discovered that there had been neither deposits nor withdrawals from this account for this long period, I decided to carry out a system investigation and discovered that none of the family member or relations of the late person is aware of this account.
The amount in this account stands at-(US$9.4 million US dollars).
I want an account overseas where the bank will transfer these funds. I will front you in the bank as beneficiary of the late customer fund and back you up with information and documents so that you can apply for the claim of his fund.
If willing to assist and assure me of your trust forward to me the following;
1. Full name
2. Private email address
3. Private telephone number
4. Age / sex
5. Occupation.
All detail shall be sent to you once I hear from you.
The information as contained herein be accorded the necessary attention, urgency as well as the secrecy it deserves.
Respectfully Yours,
Mr.Zubaru Amos.
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