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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- sarah.hassan.cheifeng@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Ms Sarah Hassan <e.vorobevia3000@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sarah.hassan.cheifeng@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2017 01:06:12 +0100
Subject: BANK TO BANK TRANSFER PROCESS AVOID DELAY
Dear friend,
I am Ms Sarah Hassan AUDIT AND ACCOUNTING MANAGER, IN HongKong.
I know my message will come to you as a surprise. Donât worry I was totally
convinced to write you, I hoped that you will not expose or betray this
trust and confident that i am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit
of our families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring sum of (USD $3.500,000.00)
into your account within 7 banking days. This requires a private
arrangement; the details of the transaction will be furnished to you if you
indicate your interest in this proposal.
This money has been dormant for years in the bank without claim, I want the
bank to release the money to you as the nearest person (owner of the
account) who died along with his entire family during the Iraq war in 2006
I donât want the money to go into our bank treasurer account as an
abandoned fund. So this is the reason why i contact you so that the bank
will release the money to you as the next of kin to the death customer and
we share the money together. Please i would like you to keep this proposal
as a top secret.
Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you full details on how the
business project will be executed and also note that you will have 40% of
the above mentioned sum.
Kindly fill this informationâs requested below in returns then i will give
you more details with application form for the claim.
Your full name: â
Your Country: â
Phone Number: â
Your Age and occupation: â
Please reply me with this email id (sarah.hassan.cheifeng@gmail.com)
I expect your urgent response if you agree to handle this project.
Best regard.
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