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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Marios Konstantinos" <marios.konstantinosv@outlook.com>
Reply-To: marios.konstantinos@inbox.lv
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2016 03:54:31 -0700
Subject: GET BACK SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Good day,
Before I introduce myself, I wish to inform you that you should treat this letter with confidentiality and seriousness. This letter must come to you as a big surprise, but I believe it is only a day that people meet and become great friends and business partners. This is a personal email directed to you because of my present predicament. I also apologies for using this medium to contact you for such a huge business proposal. This is still because of the situation of things where my freedom is limited.
I was once the President/ CEO of a multinational oil company for 20 years now retired and later a public office holder for 15 years also retired and now I am in asylum because of political oppression of false allegation leveled against me by politicians in my country. My Lawyer is doing the work to prove them wrong.
I want to go neutral and I want to invest Thirty Five Million United States Dollars (USD$35M) in your Country through a neutral individual like you and I will move this fund to you if you agree to work with me honestly and truthfully.
All I want you to do when the funds are transferred to you is to invest in any sector you deem lucrative in your country for profit sharing. I will like you to forward a draft of your investment plan.
If this proposal pleases you, I can ask the legal adviser to prepare the investment agreement and send to you for signing and we can take it from there.
I wait for your prompt response ASAP.
Regards,
Marios Konstantinos
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