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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Rita Konusu <flanykoneh@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Rita Konusu <ritakonusu@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2014 00:38:21 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Message From Rita Konusu
Message From Rita Konusu
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa.
Dear
I am Miss. Rita Konusu the only daughter of late Mr. Joseph Konusu My mother died when I was a baby and since then my father took me so special. Before the death of my father on April 2012 in a private hospital here in Abidjan he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum of Seven Million Four hundred thousand united states dollars only. ($7.400,000) left in fixed / suspense account in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan, that he used my name as his only daugther for the next of Kin in depositing of the fund. 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 or hotel management. Please i will like to hear from you so that i will gave you more details
Bestregards,
Rita Konusu.
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Anti-fraud resources:
