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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:
- "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Prisca Coulibaly <priscacoulibaly518@gmail.com>
Reply-To: priscacoulibaly75@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:28:14 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Good day .
Good day .
I will be glad to hear from you I am from Ivory Coast in West Africa and presently I am residing in the refugee camp here in Lome Togo as a result of the civil war going on in my country. My late husband Mr Paul Coulibaly was one of the personal adviser to the former head of state of Ivory Coast before the rebels attacked our house one early morning killed my husband and one of my son.
We managed to make our way to Lome Togo where we are living now in a refugee camp. I am sending this e-mail in the office of our Reverend Sister. She has been so kind to me and my rest children since we arrive here in Togo. It is on this note that I am contacting you, all I need from you is to assist me to transfer this money in your private bank account, the said amount is US$8.350.000.00(ten million two Hundred us dollars).I will give you 30% of the total amount as your commission for assisting us in transfering the money.
My late husband Mr Paul Coulibaly gave me the Certificate of Deposit issued to him by the bank on the date he deposited the money in the bank so upon your acceptance I will send it to you for clarification.My husband got the money from selling of cocoa because he was cocoa merchant.
I will be grateful if you send to me your 1.telephone number---------------and your email address ----------------for easy communication
I am looking forward to your reply my regards to your family and remain bless.
Yours Sincerly
Mrs Prisca Coulibaly
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Anti-fraud resources:
