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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)
- "hundred thousand us 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.
- 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.
- engineerleo1954@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Engineer Leo Esaki <engineerleo1@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2012 14:34:57 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: REPLY BACK IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME
Dear Friend,
It is my great
concern to contact you after my searching through your Country network
service for the good investors and successful business men and women. i
am MR. LEO ESAKI a contractor from Osaka Japan but i am now in the
hospital for my heart problem after losing my wife and the only daughter
during the Japan Earthquake last year. i was working on the
construction of bridges in Philippines before the tragedy occurred in
Japan and claimed my family.
Now the minister of road and
transport in Philippines who awarded the contract to me has handed the
contract over to the Chinese company since i can not finish the contract
because they hope that i may not recover from my illness. thanks be to
the almighty lord for i am getting better now. before i was taken to
abroad for my medical checkup i made a deposit of $6,200.000.00 (Six
million two hundred thousand US Dollars) some were in main land China. i
made this money during the contract awarded to me in Philippines. i
want to invest this fund properly in your Country through you as it is
only hope in my life. i hope you understand me and wholeheartedly assist
me,
Therefore i request you to confirm your interest by a return
message to me through my personal email address below and I will
furnish you with more details. I look forward to hear from you soon,
Best Regard
Engineer Leo Esaki
engineerleo1954@hotmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
