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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Engr. Ahmad" <mr.ahmed77farras@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: engr.ahmadfaraz@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2012 06:35:27 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Attention,
Attention,
I am delighted with this opportunity to seek your
audience and involvement in a business deal for our mutual benefits. I
am Engr. Ahmad Tahir Faraz. a civil engineer presently working under the
minister of works as his personal assistance in-charge of Housing and
roads under the ministry of works here in Dakar-Senegal.I seek your
assistance as a sub-contractor in a deal concerning construction
equipement supplies with the objective to claiming the sum of USD18.9M
which is currently hanging in the suspense account of the Federal
Ministry of Finance as un-paid contract fund.
Your profile as a
worthy business personal,inspired my confidence in your capability to
handle this business deal with me on trust.Please if you will like to
help in this project which is paramount to my agenda prior to imminient
retirement from 32yrs of active civil service,indicate by writing and
include your telephone number for my call.I look forward to your
earliest response.
Best Regards.
Engr. Ahmad
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Anti-fraud resources:
