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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Vivian Abba <vivian00abba@live.fr>
Reply-To: vivian30abba@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 12:41:50 +0100 (BST)
Subject: FROM VIVIAN ABBA
Hi Dearest one,
How are you today, i hope fine? I am a female student from University of Cote d'lvoire.
I am 22yrs old. I will love to have a long-term relationship with you and to know more about you. I would like to build up a solid foundation with you in time coming if you can be able to help me in this project.I have some fund of Seven Million Eight Hundred Thousand united states dollars ($7.800.000.00) which my late Father Deposited for me here in Abidjan Cote d'lvoire as his next of kin before he died. I want you to help me delivering my inheritance money into your country for investment purposes on these areas:
1).Transport industry
2). Five star hotel
3). Real Estate
4). company
If you can be of an assistance to me, I will be pleased to offer to you 30% Of the total fund.
I will be humbly waiting your soonest response Plesae try and keep this to yourself
Thanks.
VIVIAN ABBA.
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Anti-fraud resources:
