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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- gloryhull003@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Glory Hull <gloryhull005@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Miss Glory Hull <ghull001@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2013 12:42:53 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: DEAREST ONE
DEAREST ONE
I AM MISS GLORY HULL FROM ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE AFTER GOING THROUGH YOUR PROFILE, PLEASE PERMIT ME TO TELL YOU MY DESIRE OF ASKING YOU TO BE A , GUARDIAN OR FOSTER PARENT TO ME AND THEN HELP ME OUT IN WHAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU.
I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE I NEED YOUR HELP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A SUM OF MONEY AND PROPERTIES THAT MY DEAD FATHER LEFT FOR ME BEFORE HE DIED.THIS MONEY AND GOLD WORTH USD ($5.5,MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT IN ONE OF THE BIG BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN.
MY FATHER WAS A VERY RICH COCOA AND GOLD FARMER AND HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS COLLEAGUES NOW I WANT YOU TO STAND AS MY GUIDIAN AND APPOINTED BENEFICIARY TO RECEIVE THE MONEY AND THE PROPERTY IN YOUR COUNTRY SINCE I AM ONLY 18YEARS AND WITHOUT PARENTS.
PLEASE I WILL LIKE YOU TO REPLY TO THIS EMAIL SO THAT I WILL TELL YOU ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WILL LEAD US TO THE RETRIVING OF THE FUND AND GOLD. THIS MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO YOUR ACCOUNT AND YOU WILL GET ME PAPERS TO TRAVEL
TO YOUR COUNTRY TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION THERE. CONTACT ME NOW ON gloryhull003@yahoo.co.jp
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU
YOURS,
MISS GLORY HULL
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