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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:
- "dearest one," (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss Ophelia E. M. Grant" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gophelia41@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:43:52 +0100
Subject: DEAREST ONE, GOD WILL BELSS YOU
Dearest one,
I am Miss Ophelia E. M.Grant foreign nationality of Indonesia, I contacted you based on my proposition, my mother just passed away in the month of June 2010. Before my mother's death they had left a huge some amount of money and 100KGS of Gold kept in a bank for safe keeping here in Accra-Ghana. it is by his grace that the bank has summoned me to come forward with my guardianship for the claims. I brought this vital information to you believing that you will come to my aid with great assistance and opinion in the investing of these properties in your country, all I want from you is to give me foreign assistance to receive these funds and Gold to a safer place in your country as my foreign legal trustee to avoid loosing them here because I am a foreigner and my parents are no more but all legal claims documents were given to me with acknowledgement from the deposited bank.
I have plans to continue my Education and do investment in your country with your support assistance in businesses like real estate and industrial production where the funds will keep growing for our benefit.
Please contact me urgently for further vital details
May god bless you
Miss Ophelia E. M. Grant
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Anti-fraud resources:
