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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.
- 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.
- balabert55@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Bambala Hubbert" <hervebembamba@gmail.com>
Reply-To: balabert55@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 06:58:31 +0000
Subject: NICE DAY TO YOU
Dear,
Good day, I am writing to you to solicit your assistance in respect of
a late foreign customer of the National development Bank of Republic
of Benin with account number NDB/42246685296. Mr. Christian K. Goetz
is his name and a German nationality.
I will be eager to present you to the bank (NDB) as the next of kin to
the deceased customer of the bank in order for you to claim this fund
for both of us.
Since the demise of this customer, I as the accountant of the branch
office where he opened his account have personally watching with keen
interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive. No one
has come to claim his fund which has been in the bank for a very long
time.
However it’s only a foreigner that can lay claims on this inheritance
under a clear and legitimate agreement with you
I am compelled to do this because I would not want the Bank to push
the funds into the Bank treasury as unclaimed inheritance.
For the sake of Transparency on this matter, you are free to make
immediate contact for further clarification and explanation on this
matter. And all the information and data's you will need to make a
successful claim of this fund in the Bank are fully ready with me
here.
Please urgently confirm your willingness and interest to assist by
responding back to me for more details and how to lay claims on the
fund as soon as possible.
You should respond my proposal through this email account: balabert55@gmail.com
Mr. Bambala Hubbert.
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