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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 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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- hafizhadiya11@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Hadiya Abdul Hafiz <hadiyahafiz7@mail.com>
Reply-To: hafizhadiya11@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:15:55 +0200
Subject: ASSALAMUALAIKUM::
Hello Dear,
First I must solicit your strictest confidence in this transaction
and I pray that my decision to contact you will be given genuine approval
considering the facts we have not known each other before. My name is
Miss Hadiya Abdul Hafiz, the daughter of Mr. Abdul Hafiz of blessed memory
from Indonesia .I am 29 years of age, live after the Tsunami in my
country as Asylum seeker in another country. My father being One of the
most successful banker in our country and he was also a victim of the
tragedy of Tsunami along side with my mother and his driver.
Before his death, my father had deposited Sum of (3.5million Us
Dollars) with a FINANCE house in ASIA. After the death of my father, I
decided to move out of Indonesia to Malaysia where the money was deposited
.I want to go into arrangement by which I can live in your country and
get my money back and You will be rewarded .
I accept to offer you 30% of the total sum for your assistance as soon
as the money gets into your account .I want truth and honest to be our
watch word in this transaction and please treat these transactions with
strictly confidentiality for successful out come of it. All I want you
to do is to send me your personal phone and fax numbers and also your
private e-mail address for easy and urgent communication. Note that this
transaction is 100% risk free and requires absolute confidentiality.
Thanks
and May Allah bless you.
Sincerely,
Miss Hadiya Abdul Hafiz.
Email: hafizhadiya11@yahoo.com
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