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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 british pounds" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. thomas kosombo 2015" <info@florasyria.com>
Reply-To: kosombo.thomas2015@yandex.com
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2015 09:00:04 -1000
Subject: Re, Be My Partner To Inverse
Sorry if you received this letter in your spam, due to recent connection
error here in the country.
Good Day to you I contacted you directly for sake of Business Investment
in your Country. My full Name is Mr.Thomas kosombo with my mother Mrs.
kosombo.
We are from Angola and Congo, We are searching for a reliable and
experience business Partner in your country.
We have about 15.5 Million British Pounds Sterling and I would need your
assistance investing it either here in your
Country or any country of your choice under your guidance. We can invest
these Funds.
So we only solicit for your assistance to help Us invest this money in
your country into Good Investment that will benefit us in your country as
partnership. Also we can invest into Real Estate or Hotel Business or
trade Business that will join us as partnership in your Country I will
like to call you and discuss on how to start this project with you and
discuss more about the Investment we can invest into.
Waiting to hear from you.
Best Regards,
Mr. Thomas kosombo
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Anti-fraud resources:
