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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:
- ",500,000" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mirabelle azui <bh77@tkg.att.ne.jp>
Reply-To: info@dhl-ci.co.uk
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:12:41 +0900
Subject: From Miss Azui
Greethings
My name is Mirabelle azui , I present my apologies for the way
I comes in contact with you. I sincerely writing you for the purpose
get your support and your confidence can afford
perform a noble and urgent matter with you .
I hope that my relationship with you will be very much useful from the point of view human and relational. I humbly request your assistance and support
to immigrate and invest in your country. Briefly, I am a young
Sierra Leonean woman aged 24 years single heir of my late father
Azui jude Tompsom former CEO of a gold mining company
and diamond area Kanema Sierra Leone.unfotunately
assassinated by military forces loyal to the government of Ahmed Tijan
Kabbah during the military-political rebellion experienced by my country.I am
seeking your cooperation for this purpose to transfer the funds
$ 18,500,000 million U.S. preciously kept in a bank based in
Côte d'Ivoire . A close reading of this letter I expect all your
suggestions and questions to provide you and supporting and
details of this transaction.
Waiting for your responds
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Anti-fraud resources:
