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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:
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Joyce Brown <joyce.brown006@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Joyce Brown <joyce.brown46@yahoo.com.sg>
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 20:34:04 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Hoping to hearing from you soon.
Dearest in the Lord,
PLEASE AS YOU READ ENDEAVOUR TO USE THIS FUND FOR THE WORK OF GOD ALMIGHTY?Â
I am Mrs., JOYCE BROWN from FRANCE. I am married to Mr., Â GEORGE BROWN who worked with COTE D IVOIRE COFFEE FARM in cote d'ivoire for twenty years before he died in the year 2011 after the war .We were married for eleven years without a child Before He died after the war in the year 2011.
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Before his death we were both born again Christians. Since his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home do to my age which the Bible is against. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of two million five hundred united state dollars (2.5.Million U.S. Dollars) in a fixed suspense account with one of the Bank here in Cote D Ivorie. Presently, this money is still with the Bank so I want you to take quick step to this transfer process with the bank to transfer the money to you because, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next
Three weeks due to my cancer problem. Through what disturbs me most is my stroke i Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a better still a individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct him.
I want you to use it for the help of orphanages widows and propagating the word of God and to ensure that the house of God is maintained. The Bible made us to understand that blessed is the hand that giveth. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and I  lost all my husband relatives during the war here in cote d'ivoire 2011  I don't want my this fund to go into their country treasure fund it is my late husband  hard earned money to be misused by their government . I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly manner. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace.Â
I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health because of the presence of the doctors around me always. I don't want them to know about this development. With God all things are possible. As soon as I receive your reply with your name and home address that is all I need to do the change of ownership certificate for you to receive this fund that you are my late husband next of kin on my contact email address…  I shall give you the contact of the Bank here cote d’ivoire Abidjan for you to contact my late husband payment official with the details of the fund to you.
Hoping to hearing from you
Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.Â
Yours in Christ.Â
Mrs., JOYCE BROWN
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