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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million united states 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "30% for you " (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 next of kin 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.
- paulpeter2323@hotmail.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Paul Peter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paulpeter2323@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2010 06:11:23 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY
My Dear Friend,
I am Mr Paul Peter a staff in CITIBANK.POLAND as an account and a financial adviser to the late MARIO BACOLI who died in the recent earthquake in ITALY.
I am a signatory to his fixed deposit account of US$44,000,000.00 (FORTY- FOUR MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) In a bank in POLAND where his fund was deposited.
I have made all the official paper work for the transfer of this fund as i want you to stand as the beneficiary to the stated fund above. He did not declare any next of kin in all his official documents in the bank concerning the deposit. I want you to stand as the beneficiary to claim this fund.I hope you are trustworthy person,after the successful transfer, we shall share in the ratio of 30% for you and 60% for me and 10% will be set aside to up set any expenssess.
All I need IS your assistance and coperation for the successful transfer of this funds into your nominated bank account. Please get back to me urgently so that i can give you more directives on how to conclude the inheritance transfer to you as the bonefide next of kin to the decease and the beneficiary to the fund.
I wait for your urgent rspond and call.
Regards,
Mr Paul Peter
pls reply me through my private email paulpeter2323@hotmail.co.uk
call me +44 785 6905 297
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