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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Mohamad Ahmed <mrtituszongo147@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mohammadahmed7760@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2022 09:51:11 +0000
Subject: GREETINGS FROM MR.MOHAMMAD AHMED / CAN I TRUST YOU?
My Dear Friend.
Greetings.
I know this message will come to you as a surprise; my name is Mr.
Mohammad Ahmed a banker working with Bank of Africa Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso West Africa as their Auditing Manager, Please i need your
urgent assistance to transfer an abandoned sum of $13.5 Million United
States Dollars into your account abroad for the fund in question
belongs to my late deceased client.
My dear if my proposal interest you do not hesitate to get back to me
for us to proceed with the transaction for I know the source of the
fund, You will provide account for transfer of the fund in your favor
and once you confirm the fund transferred into your account 50% will
be your own share and 50% for me.
The transaction is risk free and there will be no problem, I will like
you to respond back to me immediately after reading this message with
your personal information to enable us proceed ahead for mutual
benefit and I assure you of receiving the fund into your account
without any problem for I know the source of the fund and it will be
release to you by our bank as a next of kin and business partner to
the depositor of the fund with our bank management who dead in the
Plane crash with his family.
I will send you more details on how the fund will be officially
release and transfer in your account for the transaction will be
execute in your favor for the only thing i need from you is to be
honest with me during the transaction official process.
I am looking forward to have your urgent response after going through
this proposal along with your personal information required bellow for
more trust and confident.
1. Full name:.........
2. Home Address:.........
3. Phone.............
4. Occupation:.............
5. Age:............
6. Country:........
7. Sex........
8. Your Passport or ID card or Driving License
Thanks.
Yours faithfully
Mr. Mohammad Ahmed.
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