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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: Yann Tiet <ziogj@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Yann Tiet <ytietcheu@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 21:54:48 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Hi
Private and Confidentiel
From:Mr.Yann Tietcheu.
My Dear,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I and my sister Anna intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe one has to risk confiding in succeed sometimes in life.
I can confide on you for the brighter future of me and my sister since you are a human being like us . There is this huge amount of
Fifteen Million five hundred thousand United States dollars.($15.500.000.00) which my late father Deposited for us in a private security company here in Abidjan Cote Ivoire before he was assassinated by unknown persons, Now I and my sister
Anna decided to invest these money in your country or anywhere safe enough for security and political reasons.
We want you to help us claim this fund from the security company and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes in your country in these areas:
1).Telecommunication (2).The transport Industry (3).Five Star Hotel
4).Tourism (5).Real Estate
Respectfully yours,
Yann Tietcheu.
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Anti-fraud resources:
