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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: joseph mary <joseph_mary16@godmail.dk>
Reply-To: joseph_mary17@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:10:52 +0200
Subject: SEEKING YOUR GOOD ASSISTANCE.
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Joseph Benson I am (19) years old, I am from Sierra
Leone and presently I am residing in the refugee camp here in Ivory
Coast in Africa as a result of the civil war in my country. My late
father Dr. Tims Benson was the Acting General Manager of Sierra Leone
Diamond mining cooperation (SLDMC). I am contacting you to seek your
good assistance to transfer and invest fourteen.Two million united
state dollars ($14.2 Million) belonging to my late father which he
deposited in a bank here in Abidjan. Regrettably, my father was
captured and murdered in cool blood during a mid-night rebel shoot-out
when our official residence in Freetown was arm bushed by Fordey Sanko
the notorious rebel leader. My mother sustainded very sever bullet
injuries which resulted to her untimely and painful death in a
private hospital here in Ivory Coast.
If you are willing to assist us, please let me know immediately so
that you will arrange the transfer of the money to your account with
the bank. Please note that I will offer you 20% of the total money as
compensation for your noble assistance in accordance with my
mother’s advice. I am interested in any profitable commercial
venture which you consider very well in your country and you would
also get a school for me and my sister so that we can finish our
college education in your country. I have gone to the bank to make
inquires about this money and I spoke with the Manager of
International remittance who assured me that everything is intact and
promised to help me transfer this money to my foreign partners bank
account as soon as I provide my partners foreign bank account for
them.
However, the manager is very concerned because of my age. I am 19
years old and as such advised that I should look for a matured person
that will represent me at the bank. Please there is urgent need for
the money to be transferred to your account and I am hoping to hear
your urgent response so that I can not look for another foreign
partner.
Thank you and May God bless you and your dear family.
Yours sincerely,
Joseph & Mary
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