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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 us 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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Sister Josie Wilson <mrsjosie001242001@t-online.de>
Reply-To: "josiewilson2001@outlook.com" <josiewilson2001@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2018 19:00:27 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Greetings From Sister Josie Wilson,
My Dear greetings to you and your family,
My dear my name is Josie Wilson married to Dr. Nanu Wilson who worked with
Bahrain embassy in Cote d’Ivoire for nine years also doing his cocoa
company business here in Cote D’Ivoire before he died in the year 2014 by
this country political group who kidnapped him and killed him for nothing.
We were married for eleven years without a child. When my late husband was
alive he deposited the sum of (4.Million U.S. Dollars) in a fixed suspense
deposit account with one of the Bank here in Cote d’Ivoire. Presently this
money is still with the Bank so i want you to take quick step to this
transfer process with the bank to transfer the $4,Million US dollars to you
for the help of Widows, Orphanages Home and the Less Privileged ones in the
rural and urban areas and to carry out Charity works in your Country and
around the World , recently, my Doctor told me that i would not last for
the next three months due to pancreatic cancer problem. Through what
disturbs me most is my stroke i having known my condition i decided to
donate out this fund to a sincere person that will utilize this money the
way i will instructed. I will wait for your urgent respond for more details
in this transaction.
Hoping to hearing from you
Remain blessed.
Your Sick Sister.
Mrs. Josie Wilson.

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