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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- abdelam@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "ABDEL SHAFQUAT ALAM" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <abdelam@myway.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:55:06 +0800
Subject: SALAAM
Dear Friend,
I hope in the name of almighty Allah that I have the right person who will assist me. I want to move capital for profit purposes into your country/enterprise and as such i would like to make contact with people like you residing in that country for your assistance.
Please note that the capital are already with a safe holding company which also has branches around the world for safe keeping. If you want to assist me.
This is all what you have to do, you will help me make contact with the safe holding company for the release of the capital to you as my beneficiary because I cannot travel out of Iraq right now because of some conditions which I will explain to you if we work together(my travel documents are not complete now)
The fall of Saddam Hussein has brought destruction/Hell to our great country and everything is so difficult now and all our opportunities are closing up, the new Government is trying to frustrate all our businesses.
What I need you to do are as follows:
1. You should make arrangements with the safe company to secure the capital on my behalf.
2. You will be given the right to 35% of the total amount for your assistance, and 5% of the amount would be set aside for reimbursement of any kind of expenses incurred as a result of this transaction by both parties.
3. As soon as you confirm to me by e-mail your readiness to claim the safe box from the company, I will send the opening code number of the safe box to you and also the Company's information
4. Please note that this project is 100% risk free but you must keep it very secret and confidential with strong commitment that you will not let me down at all.
I have made all necessary arrangements to get the court document that necessitate you to be my beneficiary and this document will allow you deposit the capital to any account of your choice safely.
I await your reply as soon as possible.
Regards,
ABDEL SHAFQUAT ALAM
abdelam@myway.com
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