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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrjohnsonabu01@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Johnson Abu <drlehman11@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrjohnsonabu01@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:40:05 +0000
Subject: Dearest One,
--
Dearest One,
I know that message come to you as a surprise. I am the Auditing and
Accounting section manager with Bank Burkina faso. I Hope that you
will not expose or betray trust and confident which I am respose on
you the mutual benefit for families.I need your urgent assistance in
transferring the sum of($6)million to your account within 10 or 14
banking days.note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned sum
while 60% will be for me
The money has been dormant for years in our Bank without claim.I want
the bank to release the money to you as the nearest person to our
deceased customer,besides I don't want the money to go into government
treasury as an abandoned fund. So is the reason why I am contacting
you so that the bank can release the money to you as the next of kin
to the deceased customer.Please I would like you to keep proposal as
a top secret between me and you. Upon receipt of your reply,
I will give you full details on how the business will be executed and
also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned sum while 60%
will be for me,if you agree to handle business with me reply
immediately.DO NOT FAIL TO REPLY TO REPLY TO MY PRIVATE
Email(mrjohnsonabu01@yahoo.com)
(1.) your Name:
(2.) Country:
(3.)Phone Nb:
(4.)your passport:
(5.)your Occupation:
DO NOT FAIL TO REPLY TO REPLY TO MY PRIVATE Email(mrjohnsonabu01@yahoo.com)
Best Regards,
Mr Johnson Abu
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Anti-fraud resources:
