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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:
- "maxwellkwentoh4@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: bmg67@att.net
Reply-To: maxwellkwentoh4@qq.com
Date: 24 Jan 2014 06:57:30 +0100
Subject: Re : Good News
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Greetings,
My name is Mr.Maxwell Adio. I am a Banker by profession. Herein
is a
Business Proposition for your consideration. A Numbered Account
with a
closing balance of Twelve Million Seven Hundred And Fifty
Thousand US
Dollars Only (US$12,750,000.00) was abandoned in my Bank by the
Account Holder for almost 8 years till date without initiating
any
financial activities in the Numbered Account and thereby making
the
Numbered Account to be inactive. All efforts by me through the
instrumentality of my office in locating the account holder have
been
unsuccessful.
I have used my position as the Head of Operations(Regional) to
block
the Numbered Account from being discovered by our Bank
Auditors.So as
to avoid possible transfer of the Account Closing Balance to my
Government through the Central Bank for confiscation as unclaimed
funds.
I therefore would like to work with you by presenting you as the
Original/rigtful owner and depositor of the funds and have the
funds
released and transferred to you legally and under due process and
due
diligence.Do kindly oblige me your details viz your full names
and
address and telephone number if you are interested and have the
requisite capacity to handle the matter and be trusted.
Our sharing ratio is 50/50.I will require you confirm your
acceptance
of the sharing ratio. I will oblige you further/full details upon
your
positive and prompt reply of this mail.Be aware that this matter
as
explained is risk free but requires we maintain requisite
confidentiality in view of its peculiar nature.
If this proposition in any way offends your moral ethics, do
accept my
apologies.
In your receipt of this message, you are advised to email me back
at: Email:
Thanks,
Mr.Maxwell Adio.
E-mail: maxwellkwentoh4@qq.com
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