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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- sarahahmed_101@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Sarah Ahmed" <S1@YMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:46:04 +0100
Subject: Hello Dear,
PLEASE CANTACT ME ON THIS E-Mail ( sarahahmed_101@yahoo.com )
Hello Dear,
I am contacting you with a heavy heart because of the latest ugly developments in my country Cote d'Ivoire. There has been increased fighting and massive killings of people because of Presidential election dispute between the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and the opponent Alassane Ouattara. Read: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12652755
my name is Ms. Sarah Ahmed. My father was a former senior official in the government but the political opponents have killed my father last December when the initial crises and violence broke out. I have managed to run away for my dear life and now taking refuge in Bamako-Mali. During the time my father served as a senior government official in my country, he managed to save the sum of (Nine million five hundred united states dollars only.) which he deposited with a private security company in Mali.
When I was running away from the my country, I succeeded in bringing along the deposit documents of the consignment since my father made me the next of kin and beneficiary of the consignment in the event of his death. Please, I will like you to assist me in transferring the fund to your account in your country so that it could be used for investment purposes. I shall reward you handsomely if you assist me with my request. I shall give you more comprehensive details of this transaction if I receive your favorable response as quickly as possible
Regards,
Sarah Ahmed
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Anti-fraud resources:
