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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:
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- urmamubosa@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Urma Mubosa <godswilloffice@cssazs.com>
Reply-To: urmamubosa@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 10:43:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Hello
Hello, I am the Cook to the family of late Dr. Bill Wolfgang who lost his deal life to cancer sickness and the Wife Mrs. Gladys Wolfgang is now lying hopelessly in sick bed in the same hospital that the late Husband pass away this family are very dear to me and my family they have taken good care of my matrimony home especially when Dr Wolfgang is alive we never lack or needed anything he always provide for us all Mrs. Gladys Wolfgang call me and instructs me to send this message to you which you will understand better when you read it She said that there is some amount of money which the late Husband deposit with a Bank here in Benin Republic and the fund is still with the Bank since the death of her late husband it has been her mind to use this fund for the work of God to propagate the work of God to help the hopeless and the needy in the society She told me that her late husband is a German Citizen and nationality of Germany who nationalize in Benin
Republic Cotonou I am searching for a God fearing Citizen who will use this fund for the work of God and help the less privileged since sickness is trying to stop her for fulfilling this mission Please reply back to me for more details and also remember to put her in your prayer so that she will live to see this dream come to pass as she is dying in pains everyday by day just praying the mercy of God will locate her or let her time come Your Full contact............... Age.................................... Phone/Fax number.................. Your Address....................... Your private email address:... Now my questions are:- 1. Can you handle this project? 2. Can I give you this trust? Greetings Urma Mubosa urmamubosa@yahoo.fr
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