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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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found 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: HELEN MACK <helen.mack2@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: helenandmack@live.fr
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:32:01 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: from: Helen Edward.
from: Helen Edward.
Introduction.
Dearest,
I know that this mail may come to you as surprise ,I am Mrs Helen Edward the wife to Dr Joe Edward the former director general of Sierra-leone Gold and diamond corporation who was assasinated by the rebels loyal to Foday Sankoh the (R U F)leader.
I managed to escape my country with my son Mack. It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I and my Son (Mack)intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe, one has to risk confiding in succeed sometimes in life.
There is this huge amount of Ten million U.S dollars($10,000,000.00) which my late Husband kept for us with a Fiduciary Fund Holde before he was assasinated by the Rebels in a one Metallic Trunk Box.
Now I and my Son have decided to invest these money in your country or anywhere safe enough outside my country for security and political reasons.
We want you to help us claim and retrieve this box from the Fiduciary Fund Holders and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes on these areas:
1). Telecommunication
2). The Transport Industry
3). Five Star Hotel
4). Real Estate
Now i want to ask you something;
1)Can i trust you?
2)Can you take me as your sister?
If you can be of an assistance to us we will be pleased to offer to you 10% Of the total fund.
I await your soonest response.
Respectfully yours,
Mrs Helen Edward
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