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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: Cena Okoli <cena.okoli@rocketmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:38:08 -0800
Subject: From Cena Okoli
Compliment,
I am most compelled to contact you due to the urgency and time frame
needed to execute this project though I know that this is not the best
medium to present this to you. I wish to introduce you to a project
that would be of immense benefit to both of us. Being a banker, it is
possible that we may be tempted to make funds out of our client's
situation; when we cannot help it or left with no better option.
I am presenting to you a case of my client who died without a will of
intestate and left Twenty million Six hundred thousand United
States dollars ($20.6million) in the coffers of our bank. It was most
unfortunate that he and his supposed next of kin died on the same day
in auto-crash. However, I don't belong to that school of thought which
proposes that the funds of unlucky people be given to the Government
as that is the regulation if it is unclaimed.
I therefore seek for your assistance in presenting you as a Business
partner to the deceased. Please give your response once you receive
this email to enable me reveal other details pertaining the claim, the
deceased and our country's inheritance procedure. I have also agreed to give you 35% out of the total amount for your assistance. And,this transaction is 100% risk free. You can reach me on this direct phone line +2348169862704 for more directive.
Thank you,
Cena Okoli
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