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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 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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- 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.
- maria_ninaj@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Maria Jimenez" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <maria_ninaj@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:15:41 -0000
Subject: PLEASE USE THIS FUNDS TO SAVE SOULS
>From Mrs. Maria Nina Jimenez
Bupa Cromwell Hospital
162-174 Cromwell Road
London SW5 0TU
United Kingdom
My dear (Compliment of the season)
Touch my heart and save souls as you accept to help me in accomplishing my wishes for the less privileges before my death.
Please reply if you are touched and you shall find peace together with your entire family as you help me to establish a cancer treatment foundation in your area. I am Mrs. Maria Nina Jimenez, I am 68 years old. I am suffering from cancer and from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating and now I can't work or do anything stressful. This is because the cancer stage has reached to a very bad stage.
My husband was dead long ago and all these contributed to my present condition of health. Now I have sold all our property since there is no child to inherit the properties. I was able to realize the sum of USD11.6 Million Dollars and the entire amount was deposited in a security vault.
I am looking for who I should entrust this money to because I want the money to be used for charity, I was directed to contact you and beg for your kind acceptance in safeguarding and subsequently utilize the money for charitable trust in my memory.
My dear all I seek for is a God fearing person like you who will carry out my last wishes and before I email you today I prayed over it and I have the confidence to send you this email. As soon as I receive your reply I will give you the contact of the vault where I deposited the project funds.
Please send your response to this email address: maria_ninaj@yahoo.co.jp
Yours cancer patient in Cromwell Hospital,
Mrs. Maria Nina Jimenez.
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