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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:
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Abdo Hussameddin <abd.hussameddin6@msn.com>
Reply-To: <abdhussameddin@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:46:52 +0000
Subject: I need your assistance.
Hi,
I got your contact during my search for a reliable person. I am Abdo
Hussameddin, former Syria Deputy Oil Minister. I am presently in Syria
right now and as you may know there is a serious on going political crisis
and war going on in my country at the moment. I have duly resigned my
position because I did not support the regime of the President which
has continually brutalized and killed innocent people here and for
that reason, most of us are kept under house arrest and held by the
government for not supporting their bad activities. I wish to invite
you to this mutual benefiting business involving the sum of $20
Million United State Dollars. I am contacting you because of your
position as a foreigner. I want a foreigner who can be trusted and
relaible to assist me secure this fund without making any noise. The
fund is mine and genuine. This is the compensations I received from
various Oil Companies operating in Syria over time and by the grace of
Allah, I have been able to move out of Syria through the help of
a UN diplomat. All my plans to move out of Syria after resignation has
failed. The Diplomat is presently in USA with the consignment box.
He does not know the real content of the box because the
fund was carefully package in a safe trunk box regsitered as family
valuable. I am willing to offer you 30% of the fund for your
assistance. Waiting for your reply.
Sincerely,
Abdo Hussameddin.
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