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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:
- 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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "rosarythompson123@yahoo.in" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: ROSARY THOMPSON <rthompson1@laposte.net>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 09:36:00 +0100
Subject: Greetings in the name of almighty God
Greetings in the name of almighty God,
I want to begin by thanking God alamighty for his infinite mercy and his grace
opportunity to meet thgrough this medium,i know you will be suprise to see this
letter but i use this medium becuase it is the easiest and fast way to reach
you.Please
pardon me if this letter did not meet you in your good mode and treat it with utmost
confident and secreacy.
I am Mrs Rosary Thompson From Republic Du Benin married with Dr Leonard Thompson both
of us where devoted helper of the poor people and work as Government functionaries
here in Benin
Republic.I am looking for a reliable person or organisation despite religion i will
entrust $5.5
million dollars for helping of poor people in the society due to my health condition
will not allow me to do it myself.I was a cerncer woman but what pains me now was the
recent stroke.
I take this bold decission because i did not have any child for my husband and my
husband relatives squandered my husband wealth and properties even throw me out of
my husband’s house due to feltiesh religion that i have no child that will inherit
those things.
So my dear beloved ,i am contacting you so that you will use this money
which my husband deposited before he died in the year 2001 because the bank has
called me
for this money and i want it to be used in helping poor people around.
If you know that you will not betray this trust i am about to give you now please
reply me back to have the autorisation from me to recieve this money so that you will
use
it accordingly as i above instructed.
Waiting your reply in good faith and may the almighty God give you more inspiration
on this and be bless.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Rosary Thompson
BP 144 SEGBEYA AKPKPA COTONOU-BENIN
Tel +2299981544
Email:rosarythompson123@yahoo.in
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