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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:
- "million united states 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Kenny Williams" <kennywilliams1@movmail.com>
Reply-To: kennywilliams@movmail.com
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:32:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM KENNY WILLIAMS.
MY DEAR,
FROM KENNY WILLIAMS.
ABIDJAN, COTE D' IVOIRE.
WEST AFRICA.
Reply to:kennywilliams@movmail.com
MY NAME IS KENNY WILLIAMS NATIONALITY SIERRA LEONE. I AM 22YEARS OLD
STUDDING MARKETING BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IN THE UNIVERSITY.I LOST MY
FATHER YEARS BACK HE DIED DURING THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN MY COUNTRY. MY
LATE FATHER WAS ONE OF THE DIRECTORS UNDER TIJAN KABBAH GOVERNMENT. MY
SISTER JULIET IS 18 YEARS. WE ARE LEAVING IN COTE D'IVOIRESINCE PAST SIX
MONTH. IT IS MY DESIRE TO WRITE FROM MY HEART HOPING THAT YOU WILL NOT
BETRAY US.
MY FATHER DIVERTED SOME HUGE SOME OF MONEY WHICH HE DEPOSITED IN THE BANK
HERE IN ABIDJAN WHEN HE WAS ALIVE. IN FACT IN A BRIEF INTRODUCTION ALL THE
INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU. THIS MONEY TOTALING
IS US$9,000,000.00( NINE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ) NOW WE ARE
SEEKING FOR A TRUSTED PERSON WHO WILL RECEIVE THIS MONEY INTO HIS/HER
ACCOUNT FOR ONWARD INVESTMENT. HOWEVER, WHAT WE NEEDED FROM YOU IS YOUR
GOOD ASSISTANCE IN HELPING US TRANSFERRING THE SAID SUM TO YOUR ACCOUNT
SINCE WE ARE INEXPERIENCED IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS, THAT'S THE REASON WHY
WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
ALL DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE DEPOSIT MAY BE GIVEN TO YOU FOR YOUR
VERIFICATION. WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE THE FUND OUT OF AFRICA TO ABROAD. I
AND MY SISTER HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR KIND
ASSISTANCE AND 15% WILL BE ALSO MAPPED OUT SETTLE FOR ANY EXPENSES YOU
MAKE IN THIS TRANSFER. YOU KNOW THE WORLD IS FULL OF BAD PEOPLE SO PLEASE
I WANT YOU TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION VERY CONFIDENTIAL CONSIDER THAT THIS
IS MONEY AND HOW THE MONEY WAS GOTTEN. IT IS IN INHERITANCE AND LAST HOPE.
OUR BEST
REGARDS
KENNY AND JULIET WILLIAMS
Reply to:kennywilliams@movmail.com
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