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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 beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
- naomicollins11@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: naomi collins <naomi41964@msn.com>
Reply-To: <naomicollins11@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:26:54 +0000
Subject: Dear Beloved,
Dear Beloved,
I am Mrs. Naomi Collins from COTE D IVOIRE i am married to late Jeff collins from Cote d’Ivoire.
He was the executive accountant with the Ivory Coast ministry resources and energy.
And during the period of our marriage we have only one son.
Though this message might come to you as unexpected hence we have not meet before and the only
means of communication is via internet and you are being contacted because of my condition here
in the hospital in Cote d’Ivoire.
I was told by the doctor that I was poisoned and has got my liver damaged and can only live for
some months. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of us$13.8 Million Dollars in
ECO CAPITAL BANK OF COTE D IVOIRE here in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire.
And was registered under fixed deposit presently this fund is in the custody of the bank
management.
And I cannot think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my late husband business associate in
order to inherit the money, because my son is only eight years old.
I will issue you the vital document that will prove to you the present beneficiary of the fund in
the ECO CAPITAL BANK OF COTE D IVOIRE.
I hope that you will not better my only son if i change the document in your name and make you
the present beneficiary. After all the transfer my son will relocate to your country, Please all
I need from you is to take my only son as your son, give him good education. Even when I am no
more. This message is very urgent.
All I need now is for you to Investor this Fund for my only son.
If you can be of assistance to us we will be pleased to offer you 30% of the total fund. If you
consider assisting me as God may touch your heart
Please Contact me through this Email: naomicollins11@gmail.com
God bless you and your family
Mrs. Naomi Collins and son
Thanks.
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