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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:
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Special Business Opportunity Information" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gateway.assoc@sify.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:18:04 -0000
Subject: Business Opportunity Information
I am a consultant responsible for the re-uniting of specific accounts with relatives of depositors. Despite the efforts of banks and building societies to reunite these funds with their owners, they build up as dormant accounts assets in the banking system. I do a great deal of work for several financial institutions in this area and would be happy to connect you with a business opportunity you just might be interested in. Considering the times we are in, I will take this as a windfall. Many people forget about, or lose track of deposits of money in bank and building society accounts.
Despite the efforts of banks and building societies to reunite these funds with their owners or relatives, they build up as dormant accounts assets in the banking system. Several countries and institutions have successfully set up schemes in recent years siphoned these monies to private accounts for personal use all in the name of enabling assets in dormant accounts to be reinvested in society. These accounts are never heard of if nobody comes up to claim; especially living relatives to the depositors. These monies are sometimes paid out as lottery winnings to specific people thereby laying a hold on the pie
I being an investigator mandated to unite specific accounts to relatives of depositors have found an account which has the same last name as you. I want to use this opportunity, present you as the only living relative to this depositor whose account has remained dormant for over eight years. No risk attached and I assure you all that is required is your acceptance to front and I will deliver this account to you without any risk involved.
I will explain better as soon as I receive your response.
Respectfully,
John Jonathan Thompson
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