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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 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: lorraine regato <madamlorraineregatoo@live.fr>
Reply-To: madamlorraineregato@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 04:01:58 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Propagating the word of God. !!
Propagating the word of God. !!
I am the above named person from Kuwait. I am married to Mr. Abdul Regato, who worked with Kuwait embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before dying in 2007. We were married for twenty years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted only four days. Before his death we were both born-again Christians and his family was against us because we are formally Muslims.
I have the sum of Seven Million five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars in the bank here in Abidjan in suspense account which i inherited from my late husband. Recently, i have serious sickness which is chronic cancer problem and one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness which almost deformed me. Having known my condition and as a good Christian I decided to donate this fund to a church or individual that
will use this money the way I am going to instruct here. To help, orphanages, widows, propagating the word of God.
I took this decision because I don’t have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another church or individual for this same purpose. Hoping to receive your reply.I am suffering very bitterly as I write you this message with help of a nurse in the hospital.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs Lorraine Regato
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Anti-fraud resources:
