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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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.
- 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.
- founglim@yahoo.com.my (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Lom Poh Foung" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <founglim@yahoo.com.my>
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 03:20:59 +0200
Subject: Daiki Engineering SDN
Dear Sir/Madam
My name is Lim Poh Foung Account Executive of DAIKI ENGINEERING (SEA) SDN BHD Aluminum Company here in Malaysia.
Am in search of partner and profitable investor with a good capital base who would be able to invest a capital of $18.5 million dollars and within a reasonable time period come up with a good profit on the investment.
Due to high interest rate and falling exchange rates within our economy, investments projections for this year is really nothing to write home about, and might end up liquidating which would put our company in a very bad position.
These funds are part of the company assets starched in my escrow account though not declared as most of our board of directors wouldnt agree to have an offshore investment
which they view too risky and non manageable even though its added to part of our company gains in the records.
Moreover my anonymity in this matter is privilege due to the state of affairs. Please write back so we can do the paper work and negotiate all workable forms that will be quite beneficial for both parties. Please send me your full contact details to me via email: founglim@yahoo.com.my if you would be able to handle this venture.
Yours truly,
Lim Poh Foung
Email: founglim@yahoo.com.my
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