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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- larmike12@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MIKE LARSON" <larmike10@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: larmike12@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2012 16:46:33 +0300
Subject: GOOD NEWS
Dear Friend,
I hope my e-mail meets you well. I am in need of your assistance. My name
is MIKE LARSON, I am the Investment/Legal Adviser to Mr. Saif Al Gaddafi,
son of the deposed Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi. I had to contact
you because of an urgent need to secure the money in my possession.
Presently I am out of Libya with the fund and will like you to stand as an
Partner to receive and secure this money. I was holding in trust $35m
Dollars for Mr. Saif Gaddafi before the rebels took over Libya and over
run the Gaddafi family. This money is under my custody
in cash deposited with a security company.
This money is part of the crude-oil money deals carried out by my client
that have remained unaccounted for and note that this money is 100%
confidential and its details where between Mr. Saif and I. This money has
already been moved out of Libya through a Diplomatic Courier Service as a
Family Treasures to a secured security and finance company abroad, The
important thing is; Can We Trust you once the funds gets to you to take
out 30% as your share and keep the remaining 70% for us.
Your own part of this deal is to stand in to receive the funds on our
behalf for our mutual benefit. If you are interested I will furnish you
with more details upon receipt of your response. But I can assure you that
the whole process is simple and we must keep a low profile at all times
and we must keep the process confidential.Please contact me on my private
box (larmike12@yahoo.com)
I look forward to your reply and co-operation.
Regards,
MIKE lARSON
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