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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:
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: KELVIN ASH <kelvin.ash1@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: KELVIN ASH <barrkelvinash@live.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 10:42:19 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: I look forward hearing from you.
Barr. Kelvin Ash
16 Nkrumah Lane
Accra Ghana.
Dearest friend ,
To be precise my name is Kelvin Ash an attorney here in Ghana.
I got your data info through a terrible search to find a foreigner who is matured of age and otherwise has the same last name with my late client.
Unfortunately one of my clients, who was a property magnate and a building contractor( Real Estate Agent ) passed away with his wife and only son in an Auto crash two years back. Upon his death the financial institution contacted me as his financial consultant and attorney to provide them with a next of kin since the next of kin in the bank file died with him in the accident leaving a vacuum to be filled.T
The bankers had planned to invoke the abandoned property decree of 1999 to confiscate the funds after the expiration of the period given to me.
It is in the light of this I contacting you, considering that your surname is the same with my late client knowing obviously that you are not in any way related to my late client. The fund in question is US$7.7 Million and I am here proposing a sharing ratio of 45% for you, 45% for me while 10% will be set aside to defray all cost arising in the execution of this transaction.
I hereby assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free and will be conducted in a legitimate manner without any financial breach. You should trust me considering that i am my late client's personal lawyer Kindly contact me immediately by assuring me your company.
Dearest, I beg you not to start thinking otherwise, this has taking me a very long time to come to this answer and summon this courage to address this proposal to you this day base on my crucial search result for a very good gentle person excellent record who could handle such a mature transaction with high degree of understanding. So I want to rely in and on you as much as I have made up my mind to work with you to achieve this goal in this undeniable fund fixed by my late client.
I look forward hearing from you.
Have a great day
Kelvin Ash
Esq.
+233 249809380
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