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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Sarah Toure <sarah_toure03@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: sarah_toure02@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 9 May 2013 10:32:10 +0100 (BST)
Subject: From Miss Sarah Toure
Dearest,
I am writing this message to you with tears and pains in my heart. I am introducing my self as Miss. Sarah Toure, the only Daughter of late Mr. and Mrs P.Toure, I wish to request for your assistance in a financial Transaction and I wish to invest in Manufacturing and real estate management in your country. I have Seven million Five hundred thousand United States dollars that you will help me to invest in your country.
My late father was poison to death by his business associate on their outgoing for business discussion, Before his death he secretly called me on his sick bed at the hospital that he has deposited the sum of US$7.5 Million in a fixed deposit at a local back in our country here and he has put my name has the next of kin at the bank. That i should seek for a sincere foreign partner that i can trust that can help me to invest this money in his country so that i can go go to his country to continue my education so that his family will not kill me because of this money.
I promise to offer you 25% of the total money after the successful transfer of this money into your account. All the legal documents of this money has been handed over to me which i will send to you for your view to help me from your heart and take me as your daughter.
Awaiting your immediate response
Yours sincerely,
Miss Sarah Toure.
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Anti-fraud resources:
