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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- infosdirectionboaci@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: rania hassan <raniahassan030@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2017 16:25:22 +0000
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?Subject=3A_Your_Assistance_Is_Needed_Urgently_Please?=
=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=A6?=
Subject: Your Assistance Is Needed Urgently Please…
Dear Friend,
Greetings And Compliments Of The Season? I Am Writing To Seek Your
Cooperation Over This Business, Please Due Welcome This Letter As It
May Come To You As A Surprise.
I Am Mr. Pédro Jacob The Director And General Manager Foreign
Remittance Dept At. Ecobank West Africa Here In Ivory Coast. I Need
Your Urgent Assistance In Transferring The Sum Of US $4.750.000 (Four
Million Seven Hundred And Fifty Thousand US Dollars) To Your Account.
I Decided To Contact You On This Business Transaction That Will Be
Beneficial To Both Of Us. And I Hope That You Will Not Expose or
Betray This Trust and Confident That I’m About to Repose on You for
Mutual Benefits of Our Families.
This Abandoned Sum Of Money Belongs To One Of Our Foreign Customer Who
Died Without Any Nomination Of The Next Of Kin To The Bank, And Has
Been Dormant For Years In Our Bank Without Claim. Since We Got
Information About His Death, We Have Been Expecting His Next Of Kin To
Come Over And Claim His Money Because We Cannot Release It Unless
Somebody Applies For It As Next Of Kin Or Relation To The Deceased As
Indicated In Our Banking Policies But Unfortunately For Years Now None
Of His Relation Has Applied For The Claim.
I Want The Bank To Release The Money To You As The Nearest Person To
Our Deceased Customer, Upon Your Reply. I Will Send To You My
Telephone Number And Details On How The Business Will Be Executed.
Email me back at: infosdirectionboaci@yahoo.com
I Am Waiting For Your Urgent Response!!!
Have A Nice Day
Mr. Pédro Jacob
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