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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:
- "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. )
- "consignment " (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Rose Adams <roseadams205@gmail.com>
Reply-To: missrose@voila.fr
Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:19:08 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Hello Dear Chosen one,
Hello Dear Chosen one,
Please excuse me for all the inconveniences my mail could cause you. I have the pleasure to expose to you my predicaments.
Please even if we never knew before, I believe firmly that on the basis of the right of humanitarian assistance that a real confidence and love can arise from our communication and also a real partnership between us.
I am Rose Adams, the legitimate daughter of the Director of cocoa export murdered by the rebelâs here because of the war and political crisis going on here in my country. My father had deposited a consignment with a security company here containing the sum of 10.700, 000m USD (Ten million seven hundred dollars USD) to allow him to conceive a project of investment at the end of his mandate. Regrettably the fate decided on it otherwise.
Today my major concern is to move out this sum outside here. Given that I am the only child and I have seriously suffered from the ragging and the harassments on behalf of the political opponents of my Father. It is in this prospect that I contact you.
Because of the political war and the hostilities in this country I seriously wish to leave from here and live the rest of my life in a more peaceful and politically more stable and quiet country. I am honourably seeking your assistance in the following ways:
1) To provide a bank account into which this money would be transferred to .
(2) To serve as a guardian of this fund since I am under age.
(3) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education.
If you can be of an assistance to me I will be pleased to offer to you 20% of the total fund. I would like to count on your human, virtuous and professional qualities to actualise this project. I look forward to receive your urgent respond
Thanks for your care and may God bless you for your kind heart to hear the cry of an orphan.
Yours sincerely
Miss Rose
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