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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Peter Fisher" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <peter1mail55@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:45:00 -0800
Subject: Confidential / Read Reply Me Immediately
Hello Dear/maddam,
I am Mr.Peter Fisher the Ex-Ceo of oceanic bank plc. I am in Search of of a buisness Partner who is willing to assist me invest My fund in their country. I currently have the sum of $12.5million available with HSBC bank for investment. I got your email address from a business guest book. I believe this world is a free world to do business with my experience.I know this Might sound so strange but its for real and their are no risk to be under taken.I Have worked so hard to achive this Money and i do not want to be in possition of it because of my present goverment policy so i decided to look outside for assistants..
If you can assist to manage these funds and invest it with any profitable investment then i will appreciate it because I can't manage the funds since I am still working with my government, my government will question this funds if I invest it here.Please write back and i will direct you on how to receive the funds from the bank.
Note this transaction is 100% risk free as my banker in London will secure this funds safe to you.
If you can, you can have 30% of the som of us$12,500,000.00 million for yours but 70% will be for me.
I hope I can trust you.
God bless.
Yours faithfully,
Mr.Peter Fisher
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