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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:
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Kate Ashfield <mrsamalalatrash@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: mrskateash@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 17:56:57 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Proposal From Mrs Kate Ashfield
Good Day
Pardon me for not having the pleasure of knowing your mindset before making you this offer and it is utterly confidential and genuine by virtue of its nature My name is Mrs Kate Ashfield.
I am the Branch Manager of one of a prominent bank based in UK, first light branch London.
I am a British Citizen married with two kids.
I write to solicit your assistance in a funds transfer deal involving GBP15.5M (Fifteen Million Five Hundred thousand Great Britain Pounds Sterlings.
This fund has been slashed out of the excess profit made last year by my branch office here which I am the Branch Manager.
I have already submitted an approved end of the year report for the year 2012 to my head office here in London UK and they will never know of this excess as we have already closed for 2012 financial year.
I have since then, placed this amount on a Non-Investment Account without a beneficiary.
As an officer of the bank, I can not be directly connected to this money thus I am impelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account.
Upon your response, I will configure your name on our database as holder of the Non-Investment Account. I will then guide you on how to apply to my head office for the Account Closure/ bank-to-bank remittance of the funds to your designated bank account.
If you concur with this proposal, I intend for you to retain 30% of the funds while 65% shall be for me and the remaining 5% will be mapped out for any expenses incurred by both of us before this fund will be transfer into your nominated bank account.
All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this fund and trust that i will get my own share once these fund is transferred into your nominated bank account.
With Regards,
Mrs Kate Ashfield
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