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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:
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- madamlee55@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Lucy Yoshida" <fpena@distrimas.com.co>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Lucy Yoshida" <madamlee55@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2010 04:52:47 -0500 (COT)
Subject: Charity Project
My name is Lucy L Yoshida; a dying woman who has decided to donate what I have
for the good work of charity. I was diagnosed for breast cancer for about 2
years now.I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from
my late husband to you for the good work of God, rather than allow my husband
evil relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly. They don't care
about man kind, all they care is how to rob some money from me and spend them
ungodly.
Please pray that the good Lord forgives me my sins. I have asked God to forgive
me and I believe he has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for
a surgery soon and I want to make sure that I make this donation before
undergoing my surgery.I decided to donate my fund to you for investment towards
the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege
and for the assistance of the widows and unfortunate mothers. At the moment I
don't want any telephone calls due to the fact that my husband's relatives are
always around me and trying to see if they can overhear my conversations and my
health status as well.I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you
abundantly. please use the funds well and always extend the good work to
others.
It is true that I dont know you and you don't know, but I have been directed by
God to contact you for this grace. I will appreciate your utmost
confidentiality
in this matter until the task is accomplished.
Reply me through this my most private email: (madamlee55@yahoo.com.hk)
Regards,
Mrs. Lucy Yoshida
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