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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs.Stephanie Hofmann <stephaniehofmann@tomsk.ru>
Reply-To: stephaniehofmann124@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 23:02:45 +0800
Subject: From Mrs.Stephanie Hofmann
>From Mrs.Stephanie Hofmann,
Dear ,
May this letter find you in good faith and may you receive this letter with peace of mind
and with due respect as it may be very strange to you as we have not communicated or know
each other before. My present condition is very desperate and that is why I decided to
contact you through this means to come to my aid.
My name is Mrs.Stephanie Hofmann, I am married to late Mr.Hans Hofmann the owner Hubia
Royal Construction company Ltd We were married for twenty years and had only one Son
called Kone. My husband died after a brief illness that lasted for four years. Since his
death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home. When my late
husband was alive he deposited this $8.6 Million Dollars in a bank for foreign investment.
Presently this money is still in the bank.
I am undergoing a medical treatment ,I have cancer and stroke, recently my doctor told me
that I have only five months to live after medical surgery on my left breast. Having known
my condition I decided to contact you so that you will help invest the money in your
country on behalf of my Son Kone. You will take care of Kone and will help him continue
with his education once he arrives your country to meet you.
What pains me so much is that my late husband relatives seized the Royal Oil and
Construction company immediately after the death of my husband and nothing was left for me
and my Son. I am here with my laptop computer and I don't need any telephone communication
in this regard due to the presence of my late husband relatives around me. I don't want
them to know about this deposit.
As soon as I receive your reply , I shall give you more information on what you should do
so that the bank will transfer the money to your bank account.
Hoping to receive your reply.
Mrs.Stephanie Hofmann
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