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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "grasslove@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: =?Windows-1252?B?ROlscGhpbmUgU3lsdmll?= <grasslove093@msn.com>
Reply-To: <grasslove@live.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:26:15 +0000
Subject: Sylvie
Hello!
My name is Délphine Sylvie Tagro the daughter of Désire Asségnini Tagro. My father was an Ivorian politician who served as the Minister of the Interior and chief of staff and secretary general for ousted former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo during the 2002–2011 Ivorian political crisis/civil war and he was also a top ally of ousted former president Laurent Gbagbo. It is sad to say that he died on Tuesday April 12 2011 at PISAM hospital after he was severally beating and shut at the presidential residence by armed rebels/republican forces of Cote d’Ivoire (FRCI) of Alassane Ouattara who is now the president of my country Cote d’Ivoire . Here is the video of his transfer to PISAM where he died: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR7jsaM4aGc
My mother Aminatu 45 years and my younger brother Kadeh 13 years and my little sister Jane 9 years were all murdered in Deukoué while feeling the crisis. You can also see the video of the massacre in Deukoué: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcobnG3HSkY
Before the death of my father in PISAM hospital in Cocody Abidjan, he told me of his deposit valued ($3.8 million USA dollars only). Left in a security company here in Abidjan, Please I need your kind and urgent assistance to transfer and invest this money in your country and also come to your country to continue my education.
As soon as I receive your urgent reply indicating your interest to assist me to successfully transfer the money to your country, I will give you all the necessary information you may require to proceed towards transferring the money.
Finally, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total money as mode of compensation for your effort for assisting me with this humble request as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within few days you signify your interest to assist me. Please reply me through my private mailbox ; ( grasslove@live.com )
Thank you and God bless you.
Yours affectionately
Delphiné Sylvie Tagro.
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