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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:
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Lucia Koffi <philip_j0120011@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: luciak01ci@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:36:10 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From Madam Lucia Koffi Remain blessed in the Lord
>From Madam Lucia Koffi
My Dear in Christ,
I am the above named person from South Africa. I am married to Mr.RICHARD KOFFI who worked with South Africa embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died. We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we
were both Christian.
Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which the Bible is against. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $7.8 Million in aaccount in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan.
Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last last long due to the cancer problem. But the one that disturbs me most is my H.B.P high blood pressure sickness.
I haven't known my condition I decided to donate this fund to an Organisation or individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct there in.
I want a church that will use this fund for orphanages,widows,and charity home as it is maintained.
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't want my husband s efforts to be used by unbelievers. I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly way.
This is why I am taking this decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health hence the presence of my husband s relatives around me always.I don't want them to know about this development.
I want your maximum cooperation and keep this as confidential for security reasons.
I am sincerely waiting for your kind and urgent response as soon as your receive this mail.
Hoping to receive your reply.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs.Lucia Koffi
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