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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:
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: SUZAN YORMIE <suzan.yormie@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: suzan24yormie@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 09:14:21 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Dearest Beloved In The Lord.
Mrs Suzan Yormie
Avu 7 Rue 14 zone 3
Abidjan Cote D'ivoire
West Africa.Email:
I have to start by introducing myself to you. I am Mrs Suzan Yormie,suffering from cancer ailment. I am married to Mr. Robert Yormie
, and my husband worked with the Chevron oil company in United Kingdom for twenty years before he died in the year 2006.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of 6.5 Million (Six Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) with a bank in cote d' ivoire abijan. I will give you the contact information if i see your seriosness over this matter.
Recently,my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to the
stroke and cancer that i am suffering from. With this hard reality that
has befallen my family and me, I have decided to donate this fund to you
and i want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands effort to help the orphans and less-privileged individuals.I took this
decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this money and my
husband relatives are non believers. I know that if this money is given to them they will surely misuse it and I do not want my husband's hard earned money to be misused.
Please reply to me immediately, so that i will give you the directives on how to claim the money.
I am waiting for your urgent response.
Your Sister in Christ,
Mrs Suzan
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