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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:
- "any lucrative business in your country" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "trunk box" (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 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- jrnkrumah@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss Jennifer Nkrumah" <jennifer_nkrumah@ymail.com>
Reply-To: jrnkrumah@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2012 12:37:15 -0000
Subject: GOOD DAY AND HAPPY DAY .
GOOD DAY AND HAPPY DAY .
I know this mail will come as surprise to you but in a brief introduction.
My name is Miss Jennifer Nkrumah Orphan from Ghana west Africa. I am 21
years old,i am the only daughter of my parents,and i have a younger
brother who is here with me, my father was a highly reputable cocoa
merchant base in Ghana and overseas but unfortunately he pass away on 10th
March 2010 with a brief illness and also my mother die on heart fellow
because of the death of my father,It is my pleasure communicating with you
for the first time and believing that it will lead to a better
relationship between us.
I have an inheritance that I would want to invest in your country.The
amount is US$14 million Dollars which is in a trunk box which my father
Deposited in one of the security and finance company here in Ghana,I want
you to stand as my late father Foreign business partner in claiming the
money from the security and finance company here. I am ready to part with
40% of the total sum to you if only you assist me to claim the money and
also investing the money in any lucrative business in your country with me
and my younger brother. I will give you more detail and forwarded all
vital information as soon as I hear from you so that you will contact the
security company on how the box will be claim and deliver it to your with
your full address to enable you make a better plan for how me and my
younger brother will be coming over to your country to establishment of
our life over there,please for more details contact me Direct here
Email:(jrnkrumah@yahoo.com)
Please your urgent reply to me is highly anticipated.
Sincere.
Miss Jennifer Nkrumah
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