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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Baszm Hamza" <octavio.a.victal@sify.com>
Reply-To: b.h.m.u2011@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:28:25 +0900 (KST)
Subject: Re: Very Urgent Please.
From Mr.Baszm HamzaBill & Exchange ManagerAfrican Development Bank (ADB)Burkina Faso.Direct Phone No; 00226 78 11 95 65.Â
Dear Friend,
I am Mr.Baszm Hamza ,I work with the Bill & Exchange department African Development Bank (ADB) Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. I have a business which will be beneficial to both of us? The amount of money involved is ($9 Million US Dollars) which i want to transfer out of the country to you’re bank account, all to my financial benefit and yours too.
This money is owned by a man called MR.STEVE MOORE a business commercialist in west-African regions. He has been dead since six years ago and since then no claim has been placed on his bank account balance. I want to transfer this money out of the country but such fund can not be transferred without a next of kin attached to the fund. Â
The fund could be transferred in this way; you shall present yourself as business associates to the deceased person [Mr Steve Moore] as details shall be that you are the care-taker business associates to Mr Steve Moore and his properties. I shall make available to you materials and information with which a successful claim shall be placed on the fund. I shall be your guidance and instructor throughout the duration of this transaction so as to ensure a swift and sure transfer of the fund to your bank account.
As to your benefits, you shall be entitled to 40% of this fund for your co-operation in this transaction while 5% will be set aside for expenses both of us incurred during the course of this transaction. so if you are interested, please treat this business with utmost confidentiality and call me for more talks.
Please this business must strictly be a deal between both of us and feel free to call me on my Private Telephone No.00226 78 11 95 65
Take note that both of us will incur any expense occur. If you are capable and ready indicate your willingness by sending the under listed informations:
(1)Your Full Name:(2)Your age.(3)Your occupation(4)Your marital status(5)Your full residential address.(6)Your direct phone and fax numbers.(7)Your Country of Origin:
Kind regards,From Mr.Baszm HamzaBill & Exchange ManagerAfrican Development Bank (ADB)Burkina Faso.Direct Phone No; 00226 78 11 95 65
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