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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:
- "from the desk of" (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)
- "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- dr_sanusilamido@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "info" <info@bizdynamix.com>
Reply-To: dr_sanusilamido@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:25:02 -0500
Subject: NEW GOVERNOR OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
>From the Desk of Dr.Sanusi Lamido
The Executive Governor of the
Central Bank of Nigeria
Tel: +234 818 390 1541
Sir,
As explained to you above, my name is Dr.Sanusi Lamido, the new Governor of
the Central Bank Of Nigeria. I was instructed by our Government to pay all our
owed foreign contractors/inheritors who have not yet receive their funds
because of one reason or the other. In the process of paying the
beneficiaries, I came across a fund file valued the sum of US$57 Million as an
unclaimed funds that has no beneficiary neither next of kin.
My reason of contacting you today is to seek for your assistance to enable me
transfer these funds into your bank account and I will offer you 40% of the
total amount for your assistance, while 60% is for myself. I want to inform
you that i will use my money and position to perfect all the approval transfer
documents of this fund in your name and favor as the legal and the rightful of
this fund before transferring this fund into your chosen bank account.
It is 100% risk free but requires much trust from you as I will not like to be
disappointed after receiving it into your account. Please contact me on this
my private email with your private telephone number including your occupation
and your account details for this transaction because of the confidential
nature of this deal
I will send you more details after hearing from you positively.My official
identity card attached
Regards
Dr.Sanusi Lamido.
Tel: +234 818 390 1541
Email;(dr_sanusilamido@hotmail.com )
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