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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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Raman Sule <raman2sule@mysinamail.com>
Reply-To: ramansule2@mysinamail.com
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2013 16:37:13 +0100 (BST)
Subject: I am Raman Sule
Please i need your candid assistance to invest my inherited family assets in your country. After reading through your profile and personality on the internet, i decided to contact you in order to help me in investing my family fund in your country knowing fully well that a person of your position is highly respected and can be trusted and so that is why I am contacting you now.
I am Raman Sule ,I am the only surviving son of my father, I am presently in another country because of the civil crisis going on in my country which lead to the death of my father and mother leaving me alone on earth. My father was a former government official but he died during the crisis.please I need your assistance and that is why I am writing you now to help me come to your country and invest my inherited family fund. My father is a former director of mining and he was assassinated during the civil war in my country.
Before the death of my father, he deposited some money in a finance Bank and the total amount he deposited is valued at $18.4 million dollars. Before my fathers death he gave me all the documents of this money and he informed me where he deposited the money. Since the rise of the war in my country and also the death of my father i left my country to another country as a refugee but i have been suffering so much but after my search on the internet i came across your profile and i have decided to contact and to negotiate with you regarding the possibility of transferring the money to your country. From my understanding your country is a peaceful place and so I think it is wise for me to come there and invest the money.
All i need from you is your assistance to enable me come there and also to assist me transfer the money and invest the money in a lucrative business. I have all the documents of the money and they are very safe and intact with me right now. The money is a very large money and i don't have good knowledge of business or how to do any investment and that is why i am asking you to help me.
If i receive your response i will further contact you with more details regarding my request. I intended to invest 80% of the money in any business you may decide. 15% compensate for your help while 5% will go for expenses which may be incurred during the course of the transaction.
I await your urgent reply.
Full Name
Home Address
Cell phone number
Private email
Company Name
Waiting your response,
Thank you.
Best regards,
Raman Sule
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