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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:
- "million us 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ratna Ahmad" <inbox@moerstaal.nl>
Reply-To: ratnaahmad@aol.com
Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:02:21 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: ATTENTION PLEASE!!
Assalamualaikum Sir/Madam,
Firstly I am very very sorry to send this email to you because we didn't
even know each other before. I am from Libya North Africa.
As you can see over BBC, CNN and Aljazeera news what is happening to my
country because of my country bad government oppressing the citizen of
Libya not to give us full human right and this is the reason we are
protesting till tomorrow to fight for our right. During the protest my
lovely husband was short and died on the sport. My husband was a
mechanical engineer.
Since the death of my husband my life is miserable and sad. He is the one
taken care of me since I was diagnosed by doctor I have heart cancer that
cannot be cure. Since I lost my husband and I never stop thinking of him
my cancer became worst and worst until doctor have given me three months
to be in this world. For this reason I have know choice to do just one
last wish that I have in mind before I die.
I am seeking for your full moral support as a person who fears ALLAH THE
GREAT to help me donate part of this sum of (5.8million us dollars) to any
cancer organisation, ophanage home in your country and anybody you feel
that have short of money to cure his or her sickness in the hospital
because of financial shortage. also you should use part of it for direct
investment in the future to
make this fund multiply to enable you continue donating to those children
of needy. Also you should take part of the fund for you and your
family.
I will see that you should just give this simple moral support to me
before I will take my last breath. I leave everything to Allah even though
I am suffering of this sickness, I redah to Allah and I tawakal to Allah,
for having such sickness.
I hope to here from you soon.
Ratna Ahmad.
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