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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Sussan Nana" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sussannana@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 7 May 2016 20:11:19 -0700
Subject: From Sussan Nana
Hello
I am SUSSAN NANA the only doughter of PETER NANA who died in a motor accident some months ago he was a contractor to federal government of Ghana. Before he gives up in the hospital he told my mother and I that he deposited sum of US $ 9.5 million with a security company and where the document is. But he did not let them know that the content is money.
Since after my father's death my uncles bringing troubling my mother with their useless traditional there have taking all of my father's belongings/properties and left us with nothing just because, my mother is not from Ghana. As a result of this problem my mother feel into an illness. Now she is seriously sick and I have spent all the money we have on drugs and hospital bill.
We have nothing to do than to look for a way to claim the consignment (money) form the security company. We have contacted them and they said before the consignment will be released to us that we are going to pay for the demurrage. Now we are looking for some one who will assist us and claim the consignment (money) so that when it arrived to his home/ country he will take his own share and send us our own. I am writing this mail to see if you can assist us.
Upon receipt of your acknowledgment mail I shall send you the contact of the security company as well as our telephone number.
Thanks
SUSSAN NANA
Hope to hear from you soon.
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