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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:
- "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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: "From Julita Makam." <mrs_mabeldavs@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: "From Julita Makam." <mariemakama@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 01:07:03 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Why you keep me quiet?
>From Mrs Julita Makam and Daughter
Abidjan-Ivory Coast.(Cote D'Ivoire.)
Dearest,
This
mail might come to you as a surprise and the temptation to ignore it as
serious could come into your mind but please consider it with a divine
wish and accept it with a deep sense of humility.
Perhaps this
would go down as the most difficult letter I will ever attempt to right
in my life.I am not sure that it will adequately conveys the remorse I
feel at this moment how do I begin my story? How do I tell this story
without shedding tears, Tears of sorrow Oh God I thank you for giving me
this opportunity to air my view and to share this story with some one.
I
am Mrs Julita Makam and daughter from Cote D'Ivoire. I was married to
Late Mr Metu Makam who was a contractor with the government of Cote
D'Ivoire before he died in the year 2011 after few days in the hospital.
The doctor said his death was as a result of poison.
We were
married for so many ye ars with girl of 16 year respectively called
Carinah. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of(
$1,350M) One Million Three hundred and Fifty dollas with a Bank here.
Presently
this money is still in the custody of the Bank here. Recently, my
Doctor told me that my health condition is very bad due to cancer
problem.
Having known my condition I decided to contact you so
that you will help me to transfer this fund into your private account
and also help my daughter to come over to your country to start a new
life. Moreover you may be aware of the political problem going on in my
country that caused killing innocent people.
The brothers of my
late husband has raised against I and my daughter since the death of my
husband and they have sized all my late husband properties but they did
not know about this deposit which my husband made with a bank here which
I will soon send you their contact.
You should promise me that
you will help my daughter to invest this fund in your country and also
help her to further her education in your country.Please assure me that
you will act accordingly as I Stated herein. Send me these information
so I can submit it to bank and also introduce you as our family friend
who will receive the fund .
1. Full Name:___________________
2. Address:____________________
3. Sex___________
4. Age:_____
5. Occupation:___________________
6. Phone:_______Mobile:_____________
7. State of Origin :_____Country:_____
Hoping to receive your response immediately,
Thanks and Remain blessed.
Sincerely .
From Mrs Julita Makam and Daughter
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