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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:
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: STELLY MAKKUO <golddealers21@gmail.com>
Reply-To: stelly_makkuo122@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 10:01:50 +0000
Subject: FROM STELLY MAKKUO
FROM STELLY MAKKUO
ABIDJAN.IVORY COAST
WEST-AFRICA
DEAR ONE,
I AM DEAF GIRL MY NAME IS STELLY MAKKUO THE DAUGHTER OF LATE DR AND
MRS ALFRED MAKKUO , MY FAHTER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED
IN ABIDJAN THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS POISONED
TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS
ON A BUSINESS DEAL.
WHEN MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 5TH OCTOBER 2011. MY FATHER TOOK ME SO
SPECIAL BECAUSE I AM MOTHERLESS.BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 29TH
MARCH 2012 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN. HE SECRETLY CALLED
ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$5.500.000 (FIVE
MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A LOCAL
BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN. HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF
THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, THAT I
SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I
WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE. (SUCH AS
REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT).
TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERED TO
SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER KEVIN IS 20
YEARS. TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR US TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY TO
FURTHER OUR EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT IN YOUR
COUNTRY.
MOREOVER, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS
COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF
THIS FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS
STELLY MAKKUO
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Anti-fraud resources:
