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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:
- "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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "kevinth_hsbcplc_auduni13@zing.vn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "HSBC BANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kevinth_hsbcplc_auduni13@zing.vn>
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2013 14:07:45 -0700
Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE.hh
OUR REF: HSBC |IRD| CBX|024|13
Kevin Thorn Benneth, Area Commercial Director{HSBC PLC}
office: 8 Canada Square E14 UK
REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Greetings from London UK and I know this message might meet you in (utmost surprise) however; its just my urgent need for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from London and currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the HSBC London.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds (USD$5.5 Million Dollars) our bank deceased customer late Richard Burson, who died on (Egypt Air Flight 990) along with his family on a plane crash; visit this website below for more clarification:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm. Hence i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 50% to me, 40% to you while the remaining 10% for any expenses that might occur during the conclusion of the transfer with the paying bank.
If you agree to my business proposal, further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your return mail.
Respectfully Yours
KEVIN THORN
Area Commercial Director,
HSBC BANK{ PLC}
kevinth_hsbcplc_auduni13@zing.vn
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Anti-fraud resources: