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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "utmost confidentiality" (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.
- tw170@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Thomason Wilcox <thomasonwilcox343@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2020 05:14:14 +0200
Subject: Business Proposal From Mr Thomason Wilcox.
Dear Sir, =
I will like to discuss this business with you and it has nothing
to do with someone in my country believe me is only you that is
outside south Africa can handle this deal. i only got your contact
details from when I was searching for a friend Information On-line Service =
on my personal programmed search on the internet for an individual to assis=
t with sincerely & confidential which your information & profiles were very=
satisfactory; so I decided to contact you immediately. It is my great
pleasure to write you this letter and this email is my private
email as we need to keep this transaction as a confidential. (tw170@yahoo.c=
om}
Within the bank where I work as an account officer; I want to tell you
that I work with Absa bank of South Africa. And here in our bank I =
discovered that a customer deposited the sum of USD6 Million in our
bank On my finding i discovered that he passed away on the covid-19 since =
then none of his relative came for the funds
claim and I don=2019t think anyone knows about this fund. I am his account =
officer.
So I am writing to you as I will want you to stand as his next of kin
so that the funds will be released to you. It is pure deal transaction
between me and you. I am seeking your assistance to front as the next of ki=
n to the unclaimed deceased funds; an application for claim to reflect paym=
ent and approvals will be secured on behalf of your name as I have a good l=
awyer friend who will help us proceed with everything to my bank
making an application with your name to my bank as you been the next
of kin and for the release of the funds to you in any of your account in ov=
erseas and not here in my country south Africa but the funds need to be tra=
nsferred out of south Africa. =
I have to propose that should you be willing to assist me in this
transaction your share as compensation will be (30%) I will then get (65%)
with the lawyer who will be assisting us and the balance of (5%) for taxati=
on and miscellaneous expenses
incurred during the transfer process.
The business is completely safe and secure; provided you treat it with
Utmost confidentiality. As a transfer of powers of attorney will be
secured in favor of your name through my lawyer friend and for my bank
to release the funds on your name as the next of kin. ..
I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint m=
e.
Your urgent response needed.
Please kindly contact me back on my private email: tw170@yahoo.com
Thanks
Mr. thomason wilcox
=20
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