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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:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Fofana Boukhary <mrsfofanamaladho01@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Mrs Fofana Boukhary <mrsboukharymaladho@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 07:05:41 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Greeting from Mrs Fofana Maladho
I am Mrs Fofana Maladho Boukhary, I was born on June 8, 1969. I am a widow, I am so happy to be writing this message because it rejoices my heart if you can share my
passion to get this project I want to get started.
I want you to understand that my current medical status will not allow me to move to make this project a reality, which is why I need your help to make this project go
through. My late husband was a precious stone dealer, he buys from Ghana and Asia and I joined him in business about 25 years ago and since then we have been able to
make lots of money.
The problem is that my husband is now late and I was diagnosed with a deadly syndrome and I also have brain tumor as at now and the doctor is saying that I only have
only a few months to live as to be realistic with you I have to say for about month or so that's why I want you to do it for me as a charity job as there is no one to
deal with that money here for security reasons.
Now the fund is worth four million eight hundred thousand United States dollars ($4.8m)is currently in a bank. I asked you to do this because I want you to recover the
money from the bank and half the money should be used in setting up the orphanage in your country and other facilities to help less privilege because the other half of
the money should be used in the investment in your country.
Note that this investment will be in your name and 50% of this investment only while the rest should be for charity. Also you will own share of the investment.
Note that when you accept this offer and I will introduce you to the bank as a beneficiary to the account where the fund is and make you a signatory to the account.
Answer me with a copy of your identity card if you accept this offer and you must create the infrastructure to meet A Needy and less privileged.
Yours faithful.
Mrs Fofana Maladho Boukhary
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