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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:
- "i want to solicit your attention" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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.
- 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.
- philrobertson@usa.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: SSG PHIL <Abbb5@Dorin.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <philrobertson@usa.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2014 14:58:30 +0530
Subject: COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASONS!
COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASONS
I AM SORRY TO ENCROACH INTO YOUR PRIVACY IN THIS MANNER I FIND IT PLEASURABLE TO OFFER YOU MY PARTNERSHIP IN BUSINESS.I WANT TO SOLICIT YOUR ATTENTION TO RECEIVE MONEY ON MY BEHALF THE SUM OF SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$7.5M) ONLY.
I AM SSG.PHIL ROBERTSON AN OFFICER, SERVING IN THE US ARMY, AND ALSO A WEST POINT GRADUATE PRESENTLY IS SERVING IN THE MILITARY WITH THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION PEACE KEEPING FORCE IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ.
I AM ON THE MOVE TO AFGHANISTAN FROM IRAQ AS THE LAST BATCH JUST LEFT AND I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP IN ASSISTING ME WITH THE SAFE KEEPING OF ONE MILITARY TRUNK BOX WHICH HAS JUST ARRIVED IN UNITED KINGDOM FROM THE IRAQ. I WILL GIVE YOU DETAILED EXPLANATION HOW I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THEM OUT OF IRAQ WHEN I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY TO SHOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH ME. YOU CAN VIEW THE NEWS BLOG BELOW FOR SOME INFO ON HOW THIS CHANCE CAME ABOUT:
HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/2/HI/7444083.STM
IF YOU WILLING TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS WITH PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AT ONCE SO I CAN ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION WITH YOU, GIVING YOU THE DETAILS OF IT ALL AND HOW YOU CAN REACH THE TRUNK BOXES FOR INSPECTION AND CLAIM FOR YOUR CUSTODY ON MY BEHALF.
PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT WE CAN ONLY ACHIEVE SUCCESS AND SHARE A LIFELONG PARTNERSHIP IF WE CAN BUILD TRUST AND CONFIDENCE ON EACH OTHER AS THE PROCESS WILL BE STRAIGHT FORWARD AND CARRIED LEGALLY.
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AS I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.
BEST REGARDS.
philrobertson@usa.com
SSG PHIL ROBERTSON
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