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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:
- "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: sandra emile <sandraemile80@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sandraemile623@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2015 07:21:47 +0000
Subject: Mrs.Sandra Emile.
Good day My dear,
Based on your good profile I want to solicit for your help in
fulfilling my wish, I am Mrs. Sandra Emile, 58yrs old widow from
France, my husband and I worked with Tullow oil Cote d’Ivoire before
he died, I am writing you this message via a computer lap top on my
sick bed at the hospital were I am undergoing medical treatment I have
been diagnosed of Endometrial cancer unfortunately for me my doctor
said I don't have any chance to survive except by a miracle I have
spent a lot of money on medical treatment yet no improvement.
The reason why I am writing you this letter is because I want you to
stand as beneficiary to the sum of my $ 2.5 Million which i inherited
from my late husband I don’t have any biological child of my own who
will inherit this money neither do I have any adopted child My
relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth since my
illness and I cannot live with the agony of entrusting this huge
responsibility to any of them anymore.
I want to donate this money to support children and orphanages charity
in your country help me to fulfil this goal before I die and please
always remember to pray for me when I die my soul will rest in peace.
so if you are willing to help me receive this money in your account
for the charity do not be inhesitate to get back to me immediately for
further explanation and conversation on how we will proceed:
Hoping to receive your urgent reply.
Your's sincerely.
Mrs.Sandra Emile.
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