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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 beloved," (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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: yasmin <n_villaran12@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: yasmingolde@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 11:54:45 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?Qm9uam91ciBDaGVycyBCaWVuLWFpbcOpcyw=?=
Dear beloved,
May the peace of the Almighty lord be with you.
Please excuse me for this suden intrusion into your private lives it is the situation of my life that caused it. Kindly bear with me.I am Yasmin fatu Hassan a young woman seeking for urgent assistance. It is With a sorrowful heart that I write you this mail I want to believe that I can trust you and you won’t betray my trust.
My parent were killed by the rebels on the 10th of february 2010 during the political upsurge in our country and since then I have become vulnerable to series of dangers here. Please I am in need of your assistance to act as my beneficiary in your country to receive the funds left for me by my late parent. The fund in question is $5,200,000 (Five Million Two hundred thousand United States Dollars). I want to seek your assistance to fit in as the legal beneficiary to have the funds transfer to you in your country. I have contacted the director of the bank but he told me that unless I present a trustee or guardian in line with the agreement made by my late father with the bank the funds cannot be release to me.
That is why I am here on the site here to look for a sincere person to assist me.
I am living on an assume identity presently in this country for fear of being killed by those who murdered my parent and my wicked uncle who has assumed control of all my late father's estates.He is also after me now because he has knew of the existence of the document covering the funds in my possesion. I will be very happy if you can rescue me from this iminent danger.
1 Can you honestly help me as your own family?
2. Can I completely count on you sir?
3. What percentage of the total funds would be good for you after the money has been transferred to your account in your country?
Please consider this and get back to me as soon as possible to enable me present you to the bank director.
Thanks very much for your comprehension
Awaiting your response
Yours sincerely
Miss Yasmin Hassan.
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