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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states 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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mme Gregg Elisabeth <gregg_elisabeth@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: elisagreeg@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:05:57 +0000
Subject: Please have mercy for my daughter !
From: Mrs. Elisabeth Gregg
My Dearest one,
I am the above named person wife of LAte Mr. Gregg who before his
death was a cocoa Merchant.We were married
for 25 years without a child. Before the death of my husband we were
both born again Christians.
My Husband left the sum of US$4.8 million United States Dollars in a
fix/suspense account in one of the prime bank here in Cote d'Ivoire.
Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not exceed more than five
more months due to cancer problem.Having known my condition I decided
to seek
for assistance to transfer this fund into your account and you will
use it to train my adopted daughter who is 16yrs. You will take her as
your
God child and bring her up in a good and decent manner with what my
late husband left behind.
I took this decision to contact because of my condition and for the
facts that my husband relatives wants to size everything and throw my
adopted
daughter out of the inheritance. So I want to use this little time I
have to achieve this arm before joining my ancestors.
Please indicate your interest and willingness in this transaction by
writing back to me so I can furnish you will all relevant proves and
documents in my keeping.
I am sincerely waiting for your kind and urgent response as soon as
your receive this mail.
Thanks and God bless you.
Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Elisabeth Gregg
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Anti-fraud resources:
