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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:
- "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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "your humble assistance" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- alsadigadaffi1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "From Al-Saadi Gaddafi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alsadigadaffi1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2011 01:40:55 +0100
Subject: From Al-Saadi Gaddafi Urgent Business Proposal.
Assalamu Alaikum.
My names are Al-Saadi Gaddafi, Son of the present president of Libya.
I am contacting for an urgent assistance. As you can read and see in
the media, my family is presently undergoing tough time in the hand of
the masses due to his long stay in power as the president of Libya for
over 40 years now. Although there is no way you can satisfy human
being, my father has done so many things to better the life of our
people unfortunately they never appreciated his effort instead to
resulted in calling my family bad names. I have already called the
international community, European Union to come down and investigate
things instead of taking side without proper investigation as I know
that we will be vindicated.
The International community has reached a resolution for immediate
seizure of our assets both in US and the UK.I want to request your
humble assistance to receive a total sum of $45.5 million US dollars
which i have succeeded in moving the cash to an undisclosed Area.
Read More.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/specials/the_arab_spring/Switzerland_freezes_Gaddafi_assets.html?cid=29581082
You will receive this fund directly and keep in a safe keep while I
shall come down to meet you for necessary investment as may be
suggested by you. You should kindly let me know your percentage as i
will be ready to share whatever percentage for your assistance.
Kindly contact me on my private email address for further
correspondence Email; alsadigadaffi1@gmail.com
Do note that this transaction is legal and risk free.
I shall await your urgent response.
Best Wishes.
Al-Saadi Gaddafi
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