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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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 united states 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 orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Williams & Linda <favourmutah1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: rogn1@laposte.net
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:12:52 +0100
Subject: Williams & Linda
Dear,
Good day to you .
I am JEMBER Williams the only son of late Mr Beku JEMBER from Guinea
Republic . I am in the position of some documents covering the
deposit of US$ 8.5 Million united states dollars which my late father
packed in a consignment box and deposited with one security & finance
company for unward delivery to his foreign business partner which my
father did not give any name to the security company. I want us to
move this money outside Africa for investment and I want you to assist
us to claim the save box as my late father's foriegn business partner
so that ownership of the save box will be transfer to your name as you
are a foriegner . I have also verify with the company and found the
consignment intact with them
.
My main reason of contacting you to assist me move this money to your
country for investments, for the way my father was poisoned to death
by enemies who where send to him by his brother because of his wealth
and this is why I left the house with my only sister Linda because we
have lost our mother two years ago and we have no body to take care of
us and there is nothing we can do on our own without someone like you
to help us to receive this consignment and help us to invest the money
in any good profitable venture while I and my sister will continue
our education there in your country till we are ok to take care of the
investment on our own.
My father realise this money from contracts because he was a
contractor till his death. we have map out 20% of the money as your
compensation for your assistance toward the claim of the consignment
from the security company . I will give you more details as soon as
i hear from you.
Best Regard,
Williams & Linda JEMBER
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