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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS ANNE FERNANDEZ" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <abrikwane@administrativos.com>
Date: Mon, 21 May 2012 21:29:07 +0100
Subject: CLAIM NOTIFICATION OF YOUR FUND
HELLO MY DEAR
MY NAME IS MRS ANNE ROSEMARY FERNANDEZ. IM A USA CITIZEN, IM 69YEARS OF AGE AND IM WHITE CAUCAUSIAN FROM NEW JERSEY.
I KNOW YOU MUST BE A LITTLE SUPRISED THAT IM WRITING THIS EMAIL TO YOU IN PERSON BUT BRIEFLY LET ME EXPLAIN MY MISSION AND
REASON OF CONTACTING YOU.
MY HUSBAND MR BOB FERNANDEZ IS A RICH, BUSINESS MAN AND PHILANTROPIST. HE DOES HIS BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY AND WAS VERY
SUCCESSFUL BEFORE HE DIED. HE DIED IN A PLANE CRASH HEADING FROM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TOWARDS SOUTH AFRICA WITH HIS
BUSINESS PARTNER ON THE MISSION TO RECEIVE A $8MILLION ACCOMPLISHED TRANSACTION IN SOUTH AFRICA WHEN THE DEVIL TOOK HIS LIFE
ON THAT PLANE CRASH.
THIS WAS 3YEARS AGO AND THERE HAVE BEEN PRESSURES ON MY PART TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY WAS RECOVERED AND FINALLY IT WAS
SETTLED WITH THE HELP OF ONE BASED SOUTH AFRICAN LAWYER NAMED MR ABRI KWANE BUT HE (THE BARRISTER ) IS NOW BASED IN WEST
AFRICA NIGERIA DUE TO THE EXPANSION OF HIS CHAMBERS.
FINALLY NOW IM OLD AND SICK WITH THE DISEASES KNOWN AS SCOLOSIS TO THE EXTENT THAT MY DOCTORS ADVICED ME THAT I MIGHT NOT
LIVE LONG ENOUGH SO I DECIDED TO PARTAKE IN THIS PHILANTROPIC ACT OF MY HUSBAND TO MAKE SURE THIS FUNDS IS DISBURSED THE WAY
HE WOULD HAVE WISHED. I CHECKED HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND I RANDOMLY SELECTED THE LIST OF HIS FAVOURITES FRIENDS ON HIS EMAIL
LIST AND LUCKILY I DECIDED TO LET THE FUNDS TO YOUR NAME.
I HAVE CALLED THE BARRISTER 3MONTHS AGO TO MAKE THE PAYMENT OF $4M IN YOUR NAME EITHER IN A CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT OR ATM CARD
AND HE HAS DONE IT . SO TO AVOID WASTE OF TIME IN EXPIRATION OF THE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT I WANT YOU TO CONTACT THE BARRISTER
TO CLAIM THIS FUNDS JUST ON THE MENTION OF MY NAME AND FOWARDING OF THIS LETTER TO HIM.
SINCE I HAVE NO USE OF THE MONEY AS BEING DIRECTED BY MY DOCTOR THAT I HAVE LITTLE TIME THAT IS WHY I AWARDED THIS TO YOU.
PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE BARRISTER HAND IN HAND AND DO AS HE PROPOSES YOU TO IN ORDER
TO RECEIVE THIS FUNDS FROM THE CUSTODY OF THE BARRISTER.
AS OF TODAY I WILL SHUT DOWN MY INTERNET ACCESS AS I WILL JUST BE IN THE HOSPITAL UNTIL MY TIME COMES SO I WONT BE USING THE
EMAIL OR PHONE ANYMORE AS I FINSIH WRITING YOU.
CONTACT THE BARRISTER ON THIS CONTACT EMAIL BELOW:
NAME OF BARRISTER:.........BARRISTER ABRI KWANE
EMAIL ADDRESS:.............Abrikwane@administrativos.com
TELEPHONE NUMBER: +234-702-628-652-8
AND PLEASE ALSO NOTE TO PROVIDE HIM THIS INFORMATIONS TO CLEAR EVERY DOUBTS FROM HIM TO BE ASSURED YOU WERE REFERED BY ME.
FILL THE FOLLOWING BELOW AND FORWARD TO HIM:
YOUR FULL NAMES:............................
SEX / MARITAL STATUS / AGE:...............
NATIONALITY:............................
COUNTRY / STATE:......................
RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS AND ZIP CODE:...
TELEPHONE / CELL NUMBER:..........
I DROP MY PEN NOW IN GLADNESS AND FUFILMENT IN THE WILL OF THE LORD THAT AT LEAST I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MY OWN PART. SO YOU
ACCOMPLISH YOURS WITH THE BARISTER AND GET THE FUNDS AND MAKE SURE YOU HELP THE LESS PREVILEDGE WITH IT JUST AS YOU HAVE BEEN
FAVOURED NOW.
I WISH YOU BEST OF LUCK. PLEASE CONTAT THE BARRISTER NOW.
YOURS FAITHFULLY
MRS ANNE ROSEMARY FERNANDEZ
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