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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "charlesdefteriosloancompany@ymail.com" (This email address looks like addresses used in fake loan scams. Be suspicious of any lender who uses a free webmail address or who is based in different country from yourself.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Charles Defterios Loan Company <charlesdefteriosloancompany@ymail.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2012 07:49:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: WE OFFER LOAN !!!
Dear Friend,
I am Charles Defterios the only surviving son of late Doctor
Michael Defterios. My parents left about 60.5million united states
dollars as inheritance now i have concluded plans with my family lawyer
to be giving out loans at an interest rate of 2% to real loan seekers
and not to spammers because this will enable me invest this huge sum of
money.
I have given out loan to people around the world some after given
them the loan they never reply me again some pay me back some just pay
half so my family lawyer said that i should stop given out loan but i
said no because of the people suffering in this world financially I
want to be sleeping and know that lives are been transformed by me
financially.
I Am a God fearing person that like to help the poor
and people that needs help i can never do any thing to hurt them and i
do not want anything that is going to destroy my own image because of
the future and that of my children and i promise you that you will be
happy once again in you life after getting the loan from me.
If you are really in need of a loan, write back on
charlesdefteriosloancompany@ymail.com
Best Regard
Charles Defterios.CEO
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