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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.
- 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.
- malikkani@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Philomina Jesse <philomina_jesse0@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: philomina@o2.pl
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 14:42:05 +0530 (IST)
Subject: THE TRUST
>From Mrs. Philomina Jesse.
Hello partner,
I will be going for the operation later today and i need your prayer to survive. Heart is panting and I am losing confidence of living again.
Meanwhile, base on what we discussed, I decided to WILL the sum of $13.5m to you. It’s still in that bank and remembers to use 60% of the money to assist the Orphanages and take the rest.
It shall please my heart and soul wherever i find myself if you fulfill this task which I and my Husband desired so much.
Quote my personal reference number LLP/6953/906//316ouga/BF to my financial consultant so he could ascertain that I directed you to possibly transfer the fund to you, including your receiving account data.
Name: Mr. Malik Kani
Email: malikkani@yahoo.com
We shall speak again if the surgery goes fine
Please don’t misuse this trust that I bestowed on you to help the down trodden with this fund.
Mrs. Philomina Jesse
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Anti-fraud resources:
