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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Roukiatou Coulibaly <rouki_atou6@msn.com>
Reply-To: <rouki_atou89@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:45:19 +0000
Subject: From Miss Roukiatou Coulibaly
>From Miss Roukiatou Coulibaly
I seek your permission
Dearest, I am Miss Roukiatou Coulibaly, 20 years old from ivory coast. Only child/Daughter of Mrs. Awatoure Coulibaly. I have 2.5 million USD which was made by my mother before she died in Oct 2006 which is left in a security company here in my country. I seek your permission to remit this amount to your country so that I could come to your country for investment and to further my Education.
I have accepted to offer you 20% of the total sum for your desire to assist me. Please do respond immediately you receive this mail for more information regarding the trunk box.
My Best Regards.
Miss Roukiatou Coulibaly.
Contact Me imidiately for more details.
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Anti-fraud resources:
