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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:
- "million us 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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Nathalie <natelm520@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Nathalie <nat_ma250@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2014 22:46:03 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Read and Reply immediately.
My Dearest Beloved in the lord,
Read and Reply immediately.
I am Mrs.Nathalia Maurel Ivory Coast.I was married to Late Engr.Gilbert Maurel
who was a contractor with the Government of Cote D'Ivoire before he died after few days in the hospital.
When my late husband was alive,He deposited the sum of $3.850,000Million US Dollars
(three million eight hundred and fifty thousand us dollars)with a Bank in Cote D’lvoire
Presently this money is still in the custody of the Bank here in Cote D'Ivoire.
My Doctor told me that it is very likely I will die within the next 3 months due to A Blood Cancer,called {LUCAMIA}.
I have decided to donate the money for charity to you since I do not have a child to inherit it and it’s better I do not die
leaving the money here without it reaching to the poor and the less privileged ones in the society.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall tell the bank to transfer the money to you.
and will give you more informations about it,
I will forward them to the Bank for immediate transfer of the Fund to your Position.
Please always pray for me and let God give me more Good health to stay in this World.
Mrs.Nathalia Maurel.
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Anti-fraud resources:
