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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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- col_abdulsaleh@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Col Abdul Saleh" <postmaster@infacore.net>
Reply-To: col_abdulsaleh2022@outlook.com
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2016 09:07:20 -0500
Subject: I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR IDEA
My Dear
Greetings to you
I apologize if the content of this letter are contrary to your moral
ethics but please treat with absolute secrecy and personal.My name is Col
Abdul Saleh from Damascus Syria. I read with interest through your website
hence i contact you.I am 49yrs old and a serving military soldier here in
Damascus,Syria.
In the course of one of our operations ,i and my operational commander
recovered the sum of $50.5m suspected to belonging to Syria Shell
Petroleum Development(SSDP). We have agreed/concluded arrangement to move
the fund out from syria for investment on Landed Properties.The fund is in
Syria and packed in a trunk Box ready to be moved out of Syria through our
military contact here with a diplomat that will convey the fund.
We need a trusted foreign partner to receive the fund and help us
invest.We do not operate any foreign bank account outside Syria hence we
solicit your sincere assistance.We will appreciate your idea and
knowledge regarding this or any other profitable investment you may
suggest.
On my next email,i will explain to you the full details of this investment
proposal.You may as well tell me little more about yourself and feel free
to ask any question for clarification.Contact me urgently for your good
response through my email address.(col_abdulsaleh@hotmail.com).
Sincerely Yours
Col Abdul Saleh
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