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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:
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- richard.morgan46@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "ENGR. RICHARD MORGAN" <lmepkor14@gmail.com>
Reply-To: richard.morgan46@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 13:35:45 +0100
Subject: REPLY
FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION ON INVESTMENT
A) INTRODUCTION:This is Engineer Richard Morgan a petrochemical/oil
exploration engineer with the Syrian Petroleum Company located in Damascus.
Myself and two other engineers Engr. B.S Babu an Indian and engr. David
Quijada Fischer from venezuela needs your partnership to investing some
funds in your country in viable projects on your instructions.
B) SOURCE OF THE FUNDS: The funds were raised from the sale of crude oil
from the Syrian oil field.We have secured the funds and needs an investor
who is capable and ready to invest the funds in good projects and
properties.
C) WHY YOU ARE CHOSEN: We chose you to assist us invest the funds following
the facts that we are career engineers and we have no knowledge of
commercial investments and for that reason, we need an expert to guide us
and to handle investment directly. Also we chose you in order to invest the
funds in a good economy.
D) SHARING RATIO AND PERIOD OF INVESTMENT: Myself and two other colleagues
have agreed to give 25% of the funds to you while you will assist us invest
75% in your country only on projects you will personally draft for us. You
will be responsible to draw investment plan as we will not be involved
following our poor knowledge on investments.
E) GENERAL REMARKS: This project is 100% risk free but needs
confidentiality. We need an investor who is transparent,direct, serious and
dedicated. we need an investor who will represent us any where in this
project. We will change all documents of deposit in your name as soon as
you are confirmed our potential investor. If you are ready and willing to
assist us invest the funds, do contact me for more details. Both parties
must be ready to exchange identities in order to know each other.
Your Response is expected. send your response to my private email (
richard.morgan46@yahoo.com.hk)
ENGR. RICHARD MORGAN
SYRIAN PETROLEUM COMPANY
DAMASCUS
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