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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "million us 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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "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.
- 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.
- donovanblake1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Donovan Blake." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <donovanblake@luckymail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:25:04 +0200
Subject: CAN I TRUST YOU ?
Hello,
I pray this e-mail finds you well. My name Donovan Blake. I am presently here in Kabol-Afghanistan on a
special investigation mission for the United Nations on their present crises related matter. I will leave my duty
and appointment here out of this project for our safety and security.
You are presently contacted because I have an urgent issue that requires an immediate action. I came
across a huge some of money here in one of my research trip to Asmar another location in Afghanistan and
I need to move this money out of the country at the earliest possible time with your assistance and
cooperation. the amount in question is 15.million US Dollars. I hope you can keep this as a top secret???
I have the money lodged in a safe and secured place since then, and now I have discovered a smooth
means of moving it out of here only if you are willing to assist me receive it there in your country because my
secret appointment will not permit me move this huge sum of money to my country without raising so much
dust. I want it were it can be invested without requiring too much documentation to back its source.
But can I trust you? Your role in this project is to provide a safe place where the money will be shipped to
and received conveniently by you. I will send it smoothly to you once we have all necessary arrangements
concluded.
If you are interested then contact me for more details on my email address (donovanblake1@gmail.com).
Will await your response.
Yours,
Donovan Blake.
God Bless America!!!
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