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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 united state 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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Estel Zahui Kohl" <metalsgroup6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsestelzahuikohl@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2015 13:48:44 +0000
Subject: From Mrs Estel Zahui Kohl.
From Mrs Estel Zahui Kohl.
Private Care Referrals
Ground Floor, Dovehouse Street
The Royal Marsden
Fulham Road
London SW3 6JJ
I am Estel Zahui Kohl an ageing widow suffering from long time illness.
this is my
pessimistic condition I am currently admitted in a private hospital here in
United Kingdom
London, I will be very enthusiastic for your kind responds, I have some
funds I inherited
from my late loving husband.
Mr Zahui Gilbert Kohl, The sum of Three Million United State Dollars
deposited in a bank
Security at in Riviera-Palmeraie ( Cote d' Ivoire). I saw you as a humble
and honest person
that can help me to handle the transfer process for investment and charity
work in your
country of which 20% of the total fund would be will for you for
compensation in handling this project perfectly.
Please if you can be sympathetic and delighted to do this work, kindly
reply me as soon as
possible for more details. I will attached my Identity and send to you in
my next email for you to see whom you are going to work with. I am waiting
for your response very urgent.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs Estel Zahui Kohl
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Anti-fraud resources: