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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Abdou Karim <abdkarim.80@msn.com>
Reply-To: <abdkarim600@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:07:22 +0000
Subject: Gooday!!
>From : Mr Abdoullah Karim
Auditing / Acounting Director
Bank of Africa (BOA)
Burkina-West Africa
My dear friend
I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.
BUSINESS STATUS
I discovered an abandant sum of (US20.500.000.00) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers MR ANDREAS SCHRANNER who died along with his entire family in plane crash web site :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir. I cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.
Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by me for the funds (US20.500.000.00) to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin. It may interest you to note that Ic have secured from the probate an order of madamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of my mutual
business endeavour by furnishing me with the following;
1. Your Full Names and Address.............................................
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers...................................
These requirements will enable me file a letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can be made.
I shall be compensating you with $10.200.000. on final conclusion of this project,while the rest $10.300.000. shall be for me.
Your share stays with you while the rest shall be for me for investment purposes in your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your urgent email.
My Best Regards
MR Abdoullah Karim
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