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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:
- "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)
- "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)
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Evans Howard" <evanshoward1115@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: evanshoward1114@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 22:27:09 -0000
Subject: I need your help
Greetings
I am sorry to encroach into your privacy in this manner, I found you
listed in one of the address directories at the Trade Chambers of Commerce
here in Iraq.
It is my pleasure to honorably introduce myself to you, I am Captain Evans
Howard a highly classified air force captain with the United States
special Squad.
I am on the move to Afghanistan from Iraq and I am among 157 officers
/marines unit left behind in IRAQ to train Iraqi military on how to defend
their nation against insurgents and protect America diplomats in the country.
My proposal to you is, I need your help to moved a total sum of Four
million eight hundred thousand dollars ($4.8m) out of IRAQ through a
highly profile diplomatic courier. I need an HONEST/TRUTHFUL partner to
claim the consignment which I personally registered as personal
property/diplomatic cargo.You can view the news blog below for some info
on how this chance came about:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7444083.stm
We must keep a very low profile during the transfer the whole process is
simple and reliable. The questions is CAN I TRUST YOU?
If you totally accept to be my helper and partner I will then furnish you
with the whole details.
Best Regards.
Captain Evans Howard
US Diplomatic Residence
Baghdad IRAQ.
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