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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:
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "remain blessed" (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: "Fatma Siti Yousef" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fatmasitiyousef@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 13:16:09 -0700
Subject: Looking for your help!!!
Assalamu alakum
My name is Fatma Siti Yousef from Libya. I was married have 2 sons but after the war broke out my husband was killed in line of duty .He was a soldier of the Gadaffi army .I am now left with my mother and a disabled sister.My husband's family are members of the opposition party and have refused to have anything to do with me and my children because of their brother's (husband )affiliate to the Libyan army.I worked with Libyan National Petroleum Company in eastern Libya Mistrata for the past twelve years I have been working with the petroleum firm.
I am writing to seek help from my brothers and sisters from all over the world for urgent assistance.
When my late husband was alive ,he told me that if he should die in line of duty, to seek for help from any country where our rest of the family can go and settle and manage what he deposited in a foreign firm with my name as his wife and my 2 sons ,which is the sum of$30.5 Million (Thirty million five hundred thousand U.S. Dollars) and some kilo's of Gold,with International Savings Service Firm.
I believe we must be prompt in handling this issue as I really do not have much time in this country .I can be killed anytime because the rebels are coming after the families of the soldiers.I want to get out of Libya faster than anything.Please help,everyone is preaching about humanitarian assistance limiting help only to the rebels 's families and neglecting the other humanitarian group that also needs help.We the wives of soldiers are suffering and our families will perish if help does not come as soon as possible .
Remain blessed in the name of the Almighty Allah.
Fatma Siti Yousef
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Anti-fraud resources:
