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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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. WANDA CURTIS" <wandanc@abanico.sk>
Reply-To: cwanda@blumail.org
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 01:35:21 +0700
Subject: Greetings From Mrs.Wanda Curtis
Beloved,
I am drenched with tears while writing this short message to you. It
was heartbreaking news to me few days ago when my doctor notified me
on complications on my health condition which he officially made known
to me. He further stressed that the complication I had in my human
mechanism as a result of a secondary liver cancer which have destroyed
all the organs in my body system. According to him, he said that
this complication will lead to my imminent death since no medication
can alleviate the high system of deformation I am encountering at
this time in my system.
In the view of the above, I am in quest to find a trustworthy and
upright individual whom I will entrust the sum of $3.2 million USD and
this has led me to you. The said fund was acquired by me as an
inheritance from my adopted father who died as a result of political
crisis which erupted among his most political associate and business
clique.
I will make available to you all information and officially authorize
document which will endorse your claim as the beneficiary to the fund
in question in the finance house where the fund was lodged by my
adopted father. I have mapped out the modalities on how the fund will
be apportioned. 35% of the principal amount of the money will be
dished out to you while 65% will be allotted to any charitable or
orphanage home of your preference.
My motive to dispense the funds to a charity and orphanage home is
that I grew up as an orphan and do not have any heirs hitherto.
Upon your acceptance to this proposal kindly get back to me through
this email:
Best Regards
Mrs. Wanda Curtis
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