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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us 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)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned 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: "Mark C. Taylor" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markctaylor48@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 01:31:46 +1000
Subject: Hello.
Dear Friend,
With due respect, I observe every protocols and pay all due compliments. As you may already know my name is Mark Taylor, one of the sons of Charles Taylor former president of the Republic of Liberia.
You may also be aware that my father is presently facing a jail term in UK for charges boarding on crimes committed by various factions during the protracted civil war in my country Liberia
For reasons that are sufficiently obvious, my mother and I have been leaving in exile as refugees ever since my father was ousted from power and subsequently arrested and taken to the Hague to face those frivolous
charges. Currently, I leave in the USA and have been on the look-out for worthy humanitarian on whom we can repose some trust and confidence. So when we were given your compliment, we resolved to give it a trial.
The only possession left for my mother and I is the sum of forty five million US dollars for which we have been seeking a trustee into whose custody we can transfer same for viable investment. We are willing to part
with 15% of this fund to you as personal gratuity if you agree to help out. You will have to use your vast business experience to determine areas of investment.
If this offer and conditions are accepted by you please indicate soonest and my mother and I can get a lawyer to draft a memorandum of understanding immediately to precede the transfer of the fund to you.
Your kind and honest response will be highly appreciated. This matter is treated with utmost secrecy and confidentiality for obvious reasons.
You can reach me on this number +1-940-238-4852 for more discussion.
Best regards.
Mark C. Taylor
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