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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge amount of money" (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.
- 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.
- sheikh.hamadissam@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Sheikh Hamad<adinfo@foliabiotechs.com>
Reply-To: sheikh.hamadissam@gmail.com
Date: 15 Jan 2017 18:13:37 -0500
Subject: Re: Re:Re: Hi
Happy New Year,
I am sending this mail to you in confidence and trust that I have decided to solicit for your assistance to receive an amount of $75M USD deposited in a bank in UAE on my behalf. The said funds was made from sells of family treasury.
But due to the political crisis in my country Syria, I cannot be able to receive such huge amount of money here in Syria. Also the same group that killed my parents are seriously after my life. I'd really need an urgent help, someone who can assist me to receive the funds so that we will use it for any profitable investment out site the gulf region.
I will like you to partner with me and retrieve the said funds on my behalf, whilst we shall use the funds for any profitable investment and share the profit 50/50.
I shall give you more details upon hearing from you sooner.
Regards.
Sheikh Hamad
sheikh.hamadissam@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
