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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:
- "please indicate your willingness" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Moses Adams <moses_adams002@sify.com>
Reply-To: mosesadams19@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 5 May 2011 07:09:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP WITH TRUST.
From Mr Moses Adams
Please read carefully,
This message might meet you in utmost surprise. However, it's just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction. I got your contact from yahoo tourist search while I was searching for a foreign partner. I am assured of your capability and reliability to champion this business opportunity when I prayed about you.
I am a banker by profession in Burkina-Faso, West Africa and currently holding the post of manager in account and auditing department in our bank. I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($ 9 Million Dollars) belonging to our deceased customer who died along with his entire family in a bomb attack.
Hence; I am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 60/40 if you agree to my business proposal. Further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your return mail as soon as you receive this letter.
Please indicate your willingness by sending the below information for more clarification and easy communication.
Please Contact me with the following informations for more details.
(1) YOUR FULL NAME.......................... .....
(2) YOUR AGE AND SEX........................... .
(3) YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS..................
(4) YOUR PRIVATE PHONE N0..........
(5) FAX NUMBER..............
(6) YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN..................
(7) YOUR OCCUPATION.................... .....
Trusting to hear from you immediately.
Thanks & Best Regards,
Mr Moses Adams,
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Anti-fraud resources:
