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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- obakabo1414@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Kabo <mrkabo1956@gmail.com>
Reply-To: obakabo1212@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 23 May 2014 13:05:06 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY MY DEAR FRIEND
Dear Friend,
How are you today?.Well it is a pleasure to contact you on this regard
and i pray that this will turn out to be ever lasting relationship for
both of us. However it's just my urgent need for a Foreign partner
that made me to contact you for this Transaction,i got your contact
from our chambers of commerce, while searching for someone
trust-worthy that I can go into partnership with. I am Mr Kabo.O.Oba,
the bill and exchange manager with the Bank Of Africa.(B.O.A).
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over fund (31.8
Million UsDollars)Thirty-One Million Eight Hundred Thousand United
States of American Dollars of one of my Bank clients who died at the
collapsing of the world trade center in the United States Of America
on September 11th 2001.
I agree that 40% of this money will be for you as my foreign
partner,50% for me while 10% is for establishing of foundation for the
less privilleges in your country.If you are really interested in my
proposal further details of the Transfer will be forwarded unto you as
soon as I receive your willingness mail for successful transfer.
Sincerely,
Mr Kabo.O.Oba.
REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL / [obakabo1414@gmail.com]
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Anti-fraud resources:
