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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:
- "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)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "HANA ABDUL" <hanaabdul375@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: hanaabdul705@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2012 11:47:53 +0600 (BDT)
Subject: I Await Your Urgent Response
Dear Sir,
I have no other option than to contact you through this means despite the
fact that trusted people i had to find on internet this days.I am afraid
even as i send you this message because i am confuse and don't know what
to do at this time.
I am Mrs Hanan Abdul from Turkey but live right now in UK, sorry to say i
was Mr Uday Mistress the son of Saddam Husein who died 2003 after the
America led war in Iraq.I have being under ground all this why suffering
because i am afraid i might be arrested by America if they find me.During
the good days with Mr Uday i was able to acquire the sum of 9.8 million
dollars which i kept with United Nation office in Iraq inside a safe box
as family valuables.The consignment was later moved to Georgia Tbilisi
2009 for safe keeping according to the United Nation diplomat who is in
charge that he was transfer to Tbilisi regional office.
The United Nation diplomat is not aware of the content because i told him
is family valuables all this was for security reason because every body
was a suspect in Iraq then.I contact you today because i need you to
contact the United Nation Diplomat and ask him what it takes to get the
consignment release because i can not come out openly at this time i will
present you to him that you are the rightful owner of the consignment.
After you get the fund release you will send some money to me to undergo
plastic surgery so that any body will not recognized me again.Please get
back to me if you are ready to help me sincerely with all your personal
information so i can give you the UN agent contact details for further
inquiries. And please promise me with your God that you will never cheat
me because i am a woman or disappoint me in any way.
If you do this for me i will compensate you with any amount you need from
the total money because i don't even know how to spend a lot of fund like
this. I wait for your urgent respond because i am suffering and i want
this fund out within 10 days of this message.
Regard,
Hanan.
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