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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:
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "can i completely trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your humble assistance" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Laura Williams <laurawilliams01@live.com>
Reply-To: laurawilliams0120@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:47:44 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Miss:Laura Amara Williams,
Miss:Laura Amara Williams,
Beloved one,
I am Miss Laura Amara Williams the only
child of Mr & Mrs Benson Williams My father was a reputable
business man who deal on Cocoa and Gold .It is sad to say that he passed
away mysteriously after his return from a business trips abroad on
12th.February 2008.Though his sudden death was linked or rather
suspected to have been masterminded by his uncle who travelled with him
at that time. Before his final breath in the hospital, he disclosed to
me in confidence of the sum of $8.5Million (Eight million five hundred
thousand U.S.Dollars) which he deposited in one of the private SECURITY
COMPANY.
My late father told me that he
deposited the Consignment in my name as the next of kin,and he
registered the Consignment as Family Valuables in the SECURITY COMPANY.
I am a university undergraduate and really don't know what to do.
Now I want a foreign partner who will
assist me to retrieve this consignment from the SECURITY COMPANY in
Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire.
This is because I have suffered a lot
of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory
coast.The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life. I am in
a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards.
Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.
Now permit me to ask these few questions:
1).Can you kindly tell me what type of a profitable venture this fund will used to invest avoid waste of it.
2). Can you honestly help me?
3). Can I completely trust you?
4). What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you after you have collected this consignment on my behalf?
Thank you so much.
Yours Sincerely,
Miss Laura.
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