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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +448721117349 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: heatherssullivan@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 08:20:12 -0500
Subject: Hello
Hello,
My name is Heather Sullivan. I m a british national. I got your email address from an online journal. I m writing to you from a jail in Wapakoneta in Ohio USA with the help of the chief warder and my lawyer. I have been here for four(4) months now suffering over a crime I know nothing about. It was all a set up which I came to realise lately was arranged by my own boyfriend who wants to take over my inherited wealth and estate which I also made him a signatory to.
The main reason why I have contacted you is to seek your kind help in moving $3.5mUSD (Three Million and Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which he dosen't know about from one of my inherited stock accounts which I inherited from my late dad and its handled by one of the big stock firms JFbond Securities and Asset Management. I need you to contact the broker in charge of at JFbond through the below email address and quote my file number 8801782JF while contacting him. Of course, he is already aware of my current situation which is why you need to quote the above file number so he would understand you were directed by me to move funds on my behalf. You shall be taken through legal process such as completion of funds release form and some other stuff.
Contact Name: John Atovik
Email: jfbondsecuritiesandassetmanagement@msn.com
Fax: +448721117349
I shall keep my own part of the deal by offering you 30% of the $3.5mUSD. As soon as the funds has been handed over to you, just deduct your 30%. And you will do me a favour by helping me to keep the remaining funds safe untill this case is cleared. I pray the lord helps me.
NOTE: DO NOT CLICK ON "REPLY" SO AS TO REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. CREATE/WRITE A NEW EMAIL AND SEND IT DIRECTLY TO THE BROKERS' EMAIL INDICATED ABOVE.
Regards,
Heather
NOTE: Whatever contact you make with the broker, he would indulge me about it and that means you don't have to worry about indulging me with the progress of the transaction.
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