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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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Susan Collins <susancollins633@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Susan Collins <susancollins631@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2015 21:24:44 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Message from Madam Susan Collins
Dear
beloved in God
Greetings
to you in the Name of God. I am Mrs. Susan Collins married to Mr. Tom Collins
who worked with Israel embassy in Ivory Coast for many years and before he died
we were married without a child.
When my
late husband was alive he deposited the sum of (USD$3.000.000.00) three million
dollars in a Bank and this money is still in bank. Recently, my Doctor told me
that I would not last for the next Three months due to cancer problem.
The one
that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness, Having known my condition I
decided to donate this money to a trustworthy individual that will utilize this
money the way I am going to instruct herein.
I want you
to use this fund for orphanages, propagating the word of God and to endeavor that
the house of God is maintained. I took this decision because I don't have any
child that will inherit this fund and my husband relatives are evil minded and
I don't want my husband's efforts to be used by evil plotters. I don't need any
telephone communication in this regard because of my health.
If you have the
interest of helping the less privileged living around your locality with your
true heart and wish to extend your Godly help to these people in the society
and be blessed through way, Please do respond to this email at your convenience
with your details as follows; With God all things are possible. As soon as I
receive your reply with the information i request below I shall give you the
contact of the Bank
I await
your soonest response with your full information, example.
Your full
name.......................
Address.....................................
Age...........................................
Country.................................
Occupation
Tel....................................
Your photo
so that I will know you.
Any delay
to the reply of this letter will give me another chance of looking for another
person concerning this letter.
Mrs Susan Collins
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