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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- roberthard11@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Robert Hard <roberthard57@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: roberthard11@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:44:00 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU
Dear Sir/Madam,
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT TO IMPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MATUAL BENEFIT OF OUR FAMILIES.I NEED YOUR HELP IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF ($13,600.000 US DOLLARS) TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN 14 BANKING DAYS.
THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK WITHOUT ANY BODY CLAIMING THE FUND. I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER (THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT) BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON NOVEMBER 2007 IN A PLANE CRASH.
IN SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT OF THE MONEY,WE AGREE THAT 40% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU INRESPECT OF THE PROVISION YOU MADE BY STANDING IN THE CLAIM AS NEXT OF KIN, 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURE DURING THE TRASACTION ON TAXES THAT WILL ARISE AND 50% WOULD BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES.
I DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK ACCOUNT AS AN ABANDONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK CAN RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.
{1}. Your Full Name
{2}. Your Contact Address
{3}. Your Age And Your Occupation.
{4}. Your Identification.
{5}. Your Private Telephone Numbe
DO REPLY ME WITH THIS E-MAIL;{roberthard11@yahoo.com}
I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU
BEST REGARD,
MR Robert Hard.
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Anti-fraud resources:
