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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- sallamsalif20@ig.com.br (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Sallam Salif <sallamsalif@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Sallam Salif <sallamsalif20@ig.com.br>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 20:08:02 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: FROM: MR Sallam Salif
ATTENTION:Â
I SOURCED YOUR EMAIL FROM A HUMAN RESOURCE PROFILE DATABASE IN THE
CHAMBER; MY NAME IS MR. Sallm Salif. AN ACCOUNT OFFICER TO LATE MR.
MORRIS THOMPSON FROM AMERICA WHO IS AN OIL MERCHANT AGENT HERE IN
BURKINA FASO, A WELL-KNOWN PHILANTHROPIST BEFORE HE DIED. HE MADE A
WILL STATING THAT $15.5M (FIFTEEN MILLION, FIVE UNDRED THOUSAND U.S.
DOLLARS ONLY) SHOULD BE GIVEN TO A CITIZEN OF OUR CHOICE OVERSEAS. I
HAVE MADE A RANDOM DRAW AND YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS PICKED AS THE
BENEFICIARY TO THIS WILL.
I AM PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN SECURING THIS MONEY FROM THE BANK
BECAUSE THEY HAVE ISSUED A NOTICE INSTRUCTING ME BEEN THE ACCOUNT
OFFICER TO PRODUCE THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS WILL WITHIN TWO WEEKS OR
ELSE THE MONEY WILL BE CREDITED TO THE GOVERNMENT TREASURY AS PER LAW
HERE.
IT IS MY UTMOST DESIRE TO EXECUTE THE WILL OF MY LATE CLIENT MR.
MORRIS THOMPSON SINCE HE IS NO MORE ALIVE, BOTH WIFE THELMA THOMPSON,
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY TO
START THE DOCUMENTATION PROCESS WITH THE HELP OF A LEGAL PRACTITIONER.
I URGE YOU TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER DETAILS BEARING IN
MIND THAT THE BANK HAS GIVEN US A DATE LIMIT, PLEASE ACT FAST. I AWAIT
YOUR URGENT RESPONSE. E-MAIL (sallamsalif20@ig.com.br)
MR. Sallm Salif.
MANAGER INTERNAL AUDIT/-FOREIGN REMITTANCE
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Anti-fraud resources:
