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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "abidjan" (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: "Mrs. bertinn Kattan" <ndbertinn@lobbyist.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2015 15:41:22 -0500
Subject: MY DEAR
Hello dear,
Compliment of the season. Mrs. bertinn KATTAN from Sierra-Leone. I live in Abidjan here with my only son Ramon a 17 years old boy. It's with tears and pains that I write you this mail from my sick bed in the hospital here because I deemed it necessary to disclose this important issue to you and I believe you can be of assistance. I have being suffering from a long time sickness which started immediately I came back from the village for my late husband's funeral. I have tried many medications but all to no avail.
I am contacting you because I have some funds US$7.5Million which I inherited from my late husband and I need your sincerer co-operation and assistance to help me receive this money in your account in your country and use part for the well-being of the poor and the sick in your country or elsewhere in the world. You will also be required to invest part of this fund in a good business for my son Ramon and help him come over to your country to further his education.
I and my son have agreed to give you 15% of this fund as compensation and thanks for your help and for managing this project. If you interested and assure that you can be TRUSTED in this matter, reply me immediately so that i can give you more details before I go for operation.
I wait for your reply and may God bless you.
Yours beloved sister and son,
Mrs. bertinn Kattan and son Ramon.
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Anti-fraud resources:
