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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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Crying for help <miss_rose2013@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: nancy.sandi@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 05:53:22 -0800
Subject: Very urgent
Hello Dear!
Sorry for sending you this mail about my life history. My name is Miss. Nancy a Daughter to late Chief Shaka Sandi from Sierra Leone and recently died of Ebola virus, one of the potential Elite and also gold and diamond merchant in my community.
My main aim of contacting is to seek your support and assistance in guiding his deposited belongings in one of the Sub-African region called Ghana. I happened to know about his deposited belongings after he passed away then I got copies of the deposited commodities and some cash, diamond and gold in content of the treasure which he willed on my name and his relatives are about to eliminate me in other to get access to the deposit documents before I decided to ran down to Ghana to plan on how to move the consignment and leave the region completely.
The total content indicates 250KGS of gold bars and quantities of diamond and cash of US$6.8 million (Six million Eight hundred dollars) are in total deposited in a security firm by my deceased father and willed me as next of kin, i overcomes many attempt of assassination and other treats in hands of that relative before I decided to leave my country and fled to Ghana where am currently staying and seeking means of moving the commodities to oversea were I will have my final settlement and further my education while the funds will be invested in any good profitable business of your choice till I complete my education.
Though there will be 25% percent offer for you in each of the item in the consignment including the cash, please I will need your urgent reply in other to know my stand as am always on pressure over my life.
Sincerely
Miss. Nancy.
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