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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 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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Faith Cicilia Nagolo <cicilianagolo@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Faith Cicilia Nagolo <faithmartins012@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2015 18:01:46 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Message From Mrs.Faith Cicilia Nagolo
Message From Mrs.Faith Cicilia Nagolo.
Greetings to you, My
name is Mrs.Faith Cicilia Nagolo from Switzerland. I am married to Late
Mr. Andrin Nagolo. He was the Director of T.C Industries Cote D'ivoire.
We were married for few years without a child. He died during the
political crises. Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last long
due to my cancer(Hepatocellular carcinoma) problem. Before my husband
died, there is this sum of $5.5 Million Dollars that he deposited in
account with a bank in Cote D'ivoire.
Presently this money is
still in the Vault of the bank where he deposited it. Having known my
condition I decided to donate this fund to any good God fearing person
that will utilize this fund the way I am going to instruct herein and
somebody that will use this fund according to the desire of my late
Husband to help Less privileged people, orphanages, widows and
propagating the word of God. I made this decision because I do not have
any child that will inherit this fund and I do not want in a way where
this money will be used in an ungodly way.
This is why I am
taking this decision to hand you over this Fund. I am not afraid of
death hence I know where I am going. I want you to always remember me in
your daily prayers because of my upcoming Cancer Surgery.This is not
stolen money and there are no dangers involved. Please kindly respond
quickly for further details if you can handle this task Any delay in
your reply will give me room in sourcing another person for this same
purpose.
Hoping to read from you .
Yours Sister,
Mrs. Faith Cicilia Nagolo.
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