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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Ariana Bloom" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <arianabloom012@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2016 17:16:24 +0200
Subject: FROM MRS ARIANA BLOOM
GOD BLESS MY DEAR FRIEND,
LET ME FIRST OF ALL INFORM YOU, I GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
FROM A MAIL
DIRECTORY AND DECIDED TO MAIL YOU FOR A PERMISSION TO GO
AHEAD. I AM
MRS. ARIANA BLOOM FROM UNITED KINGDOM, MARRIED TO ENG.
JEBSON BLOOM
WHO WORKED WITH SHELL OIL COMPANY IN HOUSTON TEXAS USA
BEFORE HE DIED
IN AN AIR CRASH ON HIS WAY TO A BOARD MEETING.
MY HUSBAND AND I WERE MARRIED BUT WITHOUT CHILDREN. SINCE
HIS DEATH I
DECIDED NOT TO RE-MARRY AND PRESENTLY I AM 70 YEARS OLD.
WHEN MY LATE
HUSBAND WAS ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF $31.5M. (THIRTY
ONE MILLION
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S. DOLLARS) WITH A BANK.
PRESENTLY THIS MONEY IS STILL WITH THE BANK AND THE
MANAGEMENT JUST
WROTE ME AS THE BENEFICIARY TO COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE THE
MONEY OR
RATHER ISSUE A LETTER OF AUTHORITY TO SOMEBODY TO RECEIVE IT
ON MY
BEHALF.
I AM PRESENTLY IN A HOSPITAL WHERE I HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING
TREATMENT
FOR CANCER OF THE LUNGS. I HAVE SINCE LOST MY ABILITY TO
TALK AND MY
DOCTORS HAVE TOLD ME THAT I HAVE ONLY A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE
SO I THINK
THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO USE THE MONEY FOR CHARITY
PURPOSES.
I WANT A PERSON WHO IS TRUSTWORTHY THAT I WILL MAKE THE
BENEFICIARY OF
MY LATE HUSBAND'S FUND DEPOSITED WITH THE BANK SO THAT THE
PERSON CAN
GET THE MONEY AND UTILIZE 70% OF THIS MONEY TO FUND
CHURCHES,
ORPHANAGES AND WIDOWS AROUND THE WORLD.
AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL GIVE YOU THE CONTACT
DETAILS
OF THE BANK. I WILL ALSO ISSUE YOU A LETTER OF AUTHORITY
THAT WILL
PROVE YOU AS THE NEW BENEFICIARY OF THIS FUND.PLEASE ASSURE
ME THAT
YOU WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY AS I STATED HERE IN AND KEEP THIS
CONTACT
CONFIDENTIAL TILL SUCH A TIME THIS FUNDS GET TO YOUR
CUSTODY.
THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING JEOPARDIZES MY LAST WISH ON
EARTH.
I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY.
REGARDS,
MRS. ARIANA BLOOM
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Anti-fraud resources:
