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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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 us 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)
- ",000,000" (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.
- 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.
- jbadu442@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: John Badu <johnbadu34@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: jbadu442@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:16:01 +0000
Subject: my story
--
My name is John Badu,I am a 48 year old Nigeria but I am presently
incarcerated in Malaysia for drug trafficking offense . I must confess to
you i am a drug trafficker and i have made a lot of money through the
illicit business.
I had deposited the chunk of the money which amounts to about
$15,000,000(Fifteen Million US dollars) in a safe keeping vault in my local
bank account in Nigeria before i made my final trip which i was
consequently apprehended and facing the trial.
I hope to be released out of the prisons someday but meanwhile i am writing
you regarding the above mentioned amount of money which i left dormant in
my local bank account in Nigeria.
This is more than 8 years since i l have been in the prisons here in
Nigeria and automatically the money i left in the bank may have been
regarded as abandoned and in such case the bank may seize the opportunity
to converting the money to their use.
This is my hard earned money and i do not want it to be wasted that
way.This is the major reason why i am contacting you.I am contacting you so
you may contact the bank and claim the ownership of the fund.
However inside the prison i have realized my offenses and have given my
life to CHRIST JESUS.I am writing you as a true born again Christian and i
wish to let you know that i got your contact through a world's Christian
journal.
I want you to use the money for charity. This is a way to show my remorse
to my sin and the negative impact i must have created in the lives of those
people who use my drugs. I have supplied drugs to almost every parts of the
world until I was apprehended.
I am not afraid to die because i know that i have received Christ as my
personal Lord and savior but all i am asking you is to accept the money and
use it for charity and to care for the less privileges.
That way i feel i will be forgiven by God and humanity.
So i will like you to respond back to me and let me know if you are willing
to do this and i will direct you to the bank in Nigeria where you will
receive the money.
I am eagerly hoping to hear from you.Kindly reply me on my private
email:jbadu442@gmail.com
Sincerely
John Badu
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