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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.
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- susansexy94@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "susan Williams" <test@absorbtex.com>
Reply-To: susansexy94@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:26:10 -0500
Subject: GOOD DAY
Good Day
I Sincerely know that you will be surprise over this my sudden and
unexpected contact on you but please consider it a divine wish and accept
it with a deep sense of humility . My name is Ms Susan Williams, I was
brought up by the motherless babies home . my husband died in a fatal
motor accident . we were married for years without a child . Since after
the death of my husband I have been battling with cancer and fibroid
problem , my condition is really deteriorating that my doctor courageously
told me that I have a few months to live .
When my husband was alive we deposited a sum of US$4.5million ( Four
Million , Five Hundred United States Dollars ) in a finance institution .
The Finance institute management just wrote me as the legitimate depositor
to inform me of the maturity date of my deposit or rather that I should
issue a letter of authorization to someone to receive the money on my
behalf since I cannot come over as a result of my illness or they will get
it confiscated . Having known my condition , I decide to donate this fund
to help in project which will make a huge impact in helping the orphans ,
widows and less privileges .
My reason for contacting you is because I want you or your religious
organization to use this fund in all religious sincerity to fund
orphanages , widows and less privileges/destitute homes . I took this
decision because I don't have a child or a known relation that will
inherit this fund when I die as I am an orphan . I don't know or have a
father or mother or even a relation or brother nor sister to inherit the
money .
I want you to send to me your contact details to my private box
(susansexy94@yahoo.com) so I can forward it to the finance institution
where the fund was deposited and also write an authorization letter to the
finance institution on your behalf authorizing them to release the said
amount $4.5m to you .I will send you my Identity together with my medical
report certificate and document of the fund as soon as I receive your
reply .
Your Full Name
Your Contact Address
Your Occupation
Your Telephone Number
May Almighty God guide you and your family
Ms. Susan Williams
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