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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: martha vanrompay <mmvanrompay@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2014 11:04:46 +0000
Subject: Hello ///very urgent Message!!!!
Hello,
How are you? I hope that you go me well on the other
hand I cross difficulties more or less embarrassing I am at present in
Ivory Coast for a small business I have some to the maximum for 5 days I
write this e-mail to you to request your assistance because I am at
present in an urgent problem I am to make steal my bag to the airport of
Abidjan I had in the bag the envelope containing the money of my stay
as my mobile phone which I had arranged in a pocket of the bag and here
that I find myself without liquidity.
I am a little anxious because I
then do not have quasi any more liquid on me I would like that you
support me by forwarding me a fast mandate of 1800dollars by the agency
western union because those are faster and more reliable. I insist that
the transfer is made in this agency of transfer (western union) on my
Behalf or the amount which you will be able to bring to me so that I can
pay my ticket return because I must turn over to Haiti as fast as
possible that possible.
I thank you for understanding me and to
sympathize with this terrible situation but especially I do not worry
you will refund you as of my programmed return, I am currently with the
Koffikro hotel in Abidjan here the contact to which you will be able to
carry out the mandate:
thank you in advance.
NAME: Vanrompay
FIRST NAMES; Marie Marthe
CITY: Abidjan
COUNTRY: Ivory Coast
I
expect the references of the Western Union transfer at my address
enamel and moreover I remain reachable that by enamel that of which I
held to make you this mail I on standby remain to read you as fast as
possible that possible.
Marie Marthe
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