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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
- 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.
- henrywisdom10@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Oby Nevo <obynevo@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 20:12:44 +0100 (BST)
Subject: WITH DUE RESPECT
Dear Respectful One.
My name is Henry Wisdom,I am 16 years old from Liberia. Please go through below my mail to see if you can assist for our mutual benefit. My late father was a cocoa and gold business man.
He died in a motor accident with my mother one week after his trip to Abidjan Cote d' Ivoire to negotiate on a cocoa business he wanted to invest in. My mother died instantly and my father followed up five days after in the hospital. May there soul rest in perfect peace.
Before the death of my father,He disclosed to me about sum of $15.5Million USA DOLLARS) he deposited in a security company in spain Europe for the investment with my name as next of kin.
I am a novice in terms of business and can not be able to handle investment of the money by my self and do not want to involve my relatives as instructed by my late father.
I solicit for your assistance to guard me invest the money as partners under your care.
If you help in securing and investing this money in any good business in your country,
I will give you 30% of the total money as compensation for your assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you for more details if you are willing and able to handle this.contact me through this henrywisdom10@yahoo.com
Best regards.
Henry Wisdom
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