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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "maryam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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: MARYAM ABACHA MRS <msn_acccount_allert@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <maryam_ab009@outlook.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2014 22:18:37 +0000
Subject: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
Greetings,
Thank you for your time in opening my message but i
will not like to take much of your time but to start with my name is
HAJIYA Maryam Abacha and am the widow of the late Military president of
Nigeria General Sani Abacha and i will like you to kindly try and go
through the web site that is on this mail and you will read more about
my late husband funds that my children are getting involve by trying to
get it out.
http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=884&z=5
http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=1039&z=0
http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=1032&z=0
I have Twenty Five Million Dollars cash in a bank right now. I will send you more
details, but do send me your contact details now.
Regard (Was-salaam)
HAJIYA MARYAM ABACHA
For my family
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Anti-fraud resources:
