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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:
- "million 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: JULIE MORRISON <harvey.lans@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: markp4059@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2017 15:47:59 GMT
Subject: FROM JULIE MORRISON
Good day My Dear God's Chosen,
I beg you read this letter attentively as I have put my soul and my heart in it. I decided to write it to you as I hope there is something invisible but appear as a strong attraction from your profile.I do not know if you have ever considered preparing for enternal life. Life is so beautiful but also it is not eternal. It would be great to bestow love to the needy and orphans.
I am Mr's.Julie Jack Morrison the wife of the late Malcolm Jack Morrison (83 years old) from Australia. I am presently suffering from long time illness of Cancer. Someone may say I'm perfect but it is more important for me to know that a person say more about my inner being, about my soul. I need to feel someone shares with me and don't throw words into the air.
I have some funds I inherited from my late husband, The sum of (US$8.5 Million Dollars) and I needed a very honest and God fearing who can withdraw this money and use the funds for Charity works since i can no more do this by myself. I WISH TO GIVE THIS FUNDS TO YOU FOR CHARITY WORKS. I gone through your profile after honest prayers to the LORD to bring me a helper and i decided to contact you if you may be willing and interested to handle these trust funds in good faith before anything happens to me.
I made this decision because I do not have any child who will inherit this money after I die. I want your urgent reply to me so that I will introduce you as my trustee for immediate transfer of the money to your account in your country, to start the good work of God. I want you to use the 40/percent of the total amount to help yourself with all the logistics in doing the project and 60% for the charity works.
Thanks and God bless you,
Mr's. Julie Jack Morrison.
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