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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:
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Michael Robertson Steven <michaelrobertsonsteven551@gmail.com>
Reply-To: michaelrobertsonsteven552@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:54:17 +0530
Subject: Please reply it is very important
Hello,
I am Michael Steven;an accredited vendor of Gartmore Investment Management, a subsidiary firm of The Henderson Global Investment Firm.; A private equity funds holding company that focuses on hedge funds.
I have contacted you with the hope that you can be my associate by accepting to stand as the legal recipient to a Fixed-Income deposit, valued at $35M by providing an International Offshore account to clear the funds. Please note that the success of this transaction hinges on you providing an International Offshore account to receive the funds.
Once I file your details as the new recipient to the funds, the funds will be approved through the AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE (ACH) - A facility used by financial institutions to distribute electronic debit and credit entries to bank accounts and therefore settles such entries under the automated clearing house system.
Upon approval of your details as the new recipient; a Credit advice will be issued in your favor and the funds will clear in your account within three banking days. I am willing to give you 40% which is $14M as your commission out of the $35M for your assistance in providing an International Offshore account to clear the funds.
I am confident you will be honest enough to adhere to our agreed commissions in spite of the 35MUSD coming through your account. I will need you to forward me your legal names address and phone to file your details on the fund as the new recipient in this Third Quarter of the financial fiscal year 2012.
Looking forward to working with you.
Michael Robertson Steven
Accredited vendor
Gartmore Investment Management
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Anti-fraud resources:
