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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Henry Olds <henryolds1990@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: henryolds@ymail.com
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:39:39 +1000
Subject: Re: Good Day Dearest Your Urgent Advice Is Needed For My Gold And
Consignment
Good Day Dearest
I am very sorry to bother you with my plight. Please
know that it's not by mistake I am contacting you but
by the special grace of God. My name is Henry Olds from
Mali. and the last son of (late Chief Jonathan Olds}
My father was the Ambassador of Mali to Libya three
years ago before he came to Ghana where he finally
died.presently I am staying in Accra Ghana.
I came to know you in the course of my search for a
reliable and God fearing partner and I decide to
contact you because I believe you are a reputable
person and I felt you can help me over this issue. I
count on your integrity and honesty to be able to
handle this business.
I have two consignment boxes presently in USA which was
meant to be deliver to my late father foreign partner
Mrs. Juliet Lerman, who was to receive this consignment
boxes. The consignment boxes contains USD$3.5million
and the other 650kg of Gold Dust each which is meant
for investment purpose.
I am asking for your assistance to stand as my foreign
partner and beneficiary and receive the consignment
boxes on my behalf as my foreign partner because .Mrs.
Juliet Lerman is demanding for 70% for herself and 30%
for me after the initial agreement for her to take 20%
The delivery agent will be leaving to USA for other
delivery and the Diplomat did not know that the content
of the consignment boxes contain Gold Dust of 650kg and
USD $3.5million each it was carried for delivery as
family precious item.
I am ready and willing to give you 20% from the total
money for your assistance and you will help me in
investing the remaining in a viable investment over
there because that was the initial agreement my late
father had with his partner, Mrs. Juliet Lerman,
The consignment is in USA at the moment.So i will need
your trust and co-operation because this is my last
hope in life and i don't want the consignment boxes to
come back hear in Ghana. Contact me with this
email(henryolds@ymail.com) for more details
Expecting your soonest respond.
Thank you and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Henry Olds
God Bless You
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