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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- rev_kofidaniels01@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Donald Duke <info@dukemail.com>
Reply-To: rev_kofidaniels01@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 14:48:44 -0700
Subject: FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE
Dear Friend,
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this mail meets you ina perfect condition.
I am using this opportunity to thank you for your great effort to our unfinished transfer
of your winning check to you as a winner due to one reason or the other
best known to you.
But I want to inform youthat I have successfully
cleared the check to someone else account who was capable of assisting me
in this great venture.
Due to your effort, sincerity, courage trustworthiness you showed at thecourse of the transaction.I want to
compensate you and show my gratitude to youwith the sum of Twenty million
United State Of America Dollars I have authorized Rev. koffi Daniels where
I deposited my money to wire in the funds to you as soon as you contact
him.
My dear friend I will like you to contact the finance house or
Transfer the funds into your Nominated Bank Account.The name and contact
address of the Person with your bank draft is as follows.
FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE Address: Floor 10 Nal Tower Building,Accra Ghana.(West Africa)
CONTACT AGENT: Rev. koffi Daniels
Email:rev_kofidaniels01@hotmail.com
Tel: +233247443156
Contact Rev. koffi Daniels At the moment, I`m very busy here
because of the investment projects which myself and my new partner are
having at hand In London.
Finally remember that I have forwarded instruction to the Rev. koffi Daniels on your behalf to transfer the amount of Twenty
Million United State Of America Dollars to you as soon as you contact him
without delay .
Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith
as this is from the bottom of my heart.
Thanks and God bless you and your family.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Mr.Donald Duke.
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