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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:
- "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 "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Adele Madou <mrsadelle323@ecehman.fr>
Reply-To: mrsadellemadou@ymail.com
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:57:29 +0000
Subject: GREETINGS
--
GREETINGS MY BELOVED,
DO YOU HAVE TIME TO DUE THIS FOR ME?
I BEG YOU WITH THE NAME OF GOD REPLY ME IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS I RECEIVE
YOUR REPLY I WILL FORWARD YOUR INFORMATION’S TO THE BANK TO TRANSFERTHE
MONEY TO YOU INFORMATION’S OK MY NAME IS MRS. ADELE MADOU, I HAVE BEEN
SUFFERING FROM OVARIAN CANCER DISEASE AND MY DOCTOR SAYS THAT I HAVE
JUST FEW DAYS TO LEAVE. I AM 53 YEARS FROM FRANCA, BUT BASED IN IVORY
COAST. I WAS MARRIED TO LATE PAUL MADOU WHO WAS A CONTRACTOR WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF COTE D'IVOIRE BEFORE HE DIED AFTER FEW DAYS IN THE
HOSPITAL.
I AM A BUSINESS WOMAN DEALING WITH COCOA EXPORTATION WHEN MY LATE
HUSBAND WAS ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF $2.500 MILLION DOLLARS WITH A
BANK IN COTE
D ’LVOIRE. PRESENTLY THIS MONEY IS STILL IN THE CUSTODY OF THE BANK HERE
IN COTE D’IVOIRE.
MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT IT IS VERY LIKELY I WILL DIE WITHIN FEW DAYS OR
MONTHS DUE TO A BLOOD CANCER {LUCAMIA}. I HAVE DECIDED TO DONATE THE
MONEY FOR CHARITY TO YOU SINCE I DO NOT HAVE A CHILD TO INHERIT IT AND
ITS BETTER I DO NOT DIE LEAVING THE MONEY HERE WITHOUT IT REACHING TO
THE POOR AND THE LESS PRIVILEGED ONES IN THE SOCIETY. AS SOON AS I
RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL TELL MY BANK TO TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOU.
INFORMATION’S REQUIRED FROM YOU ARE:
YOUR FULL NAMES ..............................
ADDRESS ..................................
OCCUPATION .......................
AGE ..............
WITH THESE INFORMATION’S, I WILL FORWARD THEM TO THE BANK IMMEDIATELY
FOR TRANSFERRING OF THE FUNDS TO YOUR POSITION. PLEASE ALWAYS PRAY FOR
ME AND LET GOD GIVE ME MORE GOOD HEALTH TO STAY IN THIS WORLD.
PLEASE ALWAYS PRAY FOR ME SOON I WILL BE GOING FOR A HEART OPERATION. I
PRAY AND ASK GOD FOR A DIVINE FAVOUR I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK AND
AHAPPY AND PEACEFUL WEEK.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
MRS. ADELE MADOU.
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Anti-fraud resources:
