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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- winniemadimandela.govt@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: admin@htexam.net
Reply-To: winniemadimandela.govt@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 00:29:05 -0500
Subject: LETS WORK HAND TO HAND TO INVEST THIS FUNDS I WILL OFFER 25% OF THE FUNDS....
HOW ARE YOU TODAY? MY NAME IS MRS WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA. I AM THE SECON=
D WIFE OF MY DEAR BELOVED HUSBAND NELSON MANDELA THE FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN P=
RESIDENT WHO IS KNOWN WORLD WIDE. WE WERE MARRIED FOR 33 YEARS AND GOD BLES=
SED US WITH 2 KIDS. I WAS BORN ON 26TH SEPTEMBER 1936 IN MBONGWENI TRANSKEI=
IN EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA. I HAVE HELD THE POSITION OF ANC (AFRICAN NA=
TIONAL CONGRESS) POLITICAL ACTIVIST. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEFENCE. I A=
M IN POSSESSION OF US$45 MILLION DOLLARS WHICH CAME TO ME AS AN OVER INFLAT=
ED CONTRACTS AWARDED BY MY BELOVED HUSBAND MR NELSON MANDELA. THIS FUND IS =
CURRENTLY UNDER INSURANCE HERE IN MY COUNTRY WITH THE STANDARD BANK OF SOUT=
H AFRICA I HAVE RESOLVED GIVEN OUT 10% PERCENT OF THIS FUND WHICH HAS BEEN =
RECKONED TO BE 4.5MILLION USD TO CHARITY AND GIVE OUT 25% WHICH IS 11.5MILL=
ION USD TO ANY ONE WHO WILL HELP ME TO FIRST TRANSFER IT OUT OF MY COUNTRY =
FOR INVESTMENTS. IF ALSO HAVE A GOOD BUSINESS IDEAS ON ANY LUCRATIVE INVEST=
MENTS THAT WILL PRODUCE ENOUGH PROFIT, IT IMPLIES THAT I WILL ALSO MAKE YOU=
MY INVESTMENTS MANAGER. THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING REVIEW OF CONTRACTS BECA=
USE OF MY HUSBAND MR NELSON MANDELA, S DEATH. AND IF THIS FUND IS DISCOVERE=
D IN MY POSSESSION THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT MAY DEEM IT AS PART OF GOVERNMENT=
FUNDS WHICH I AM AFRAID THAT ALL MY EFFORTS TOWARDS SECURING THIS FUND WIL=
L BE ABORTIVE. IF YOU ARE READY TO COOPERATE WITH ME IN ALL RAMIFICATIONS P=
LEASE GET BACK TO ME AND I WILL SEND YOU THE BANK INFORMATION FOR YOU TO TA=
KE IT UP FROM THERE FOR THE TRANSFER PROCESS. PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP EVERY=
THING REGARDING MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH YOU CONFIDENTIAL INCLUDING EVERYTHIN=
G REGARDING THIS TRANSACTION/FUND UNTIL THE TRANSFER IS SUCCESSFULLY FINALI=
ZED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. FOR MORE INFO ABOUT ME AND MY MARRIAGE HISTORY WITH =
MY BELOVED HUSBAND MR NELSON MANDELA YOU MAY LOG ON THE FOLLOWING SITE=94 h=
ttp://www.sahistory.org.za/people/winnie-madikizela-mandela DO NOT CALL OR =
WRITE TO THE CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE WEB AS IT IS FREQUENTLY MONITORED. =
PLEASE KEEP THIS TRANSACTION STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL YOURS TRUELY, MRS WINNIE=
MADIKIZELA MANDELA EMAIL: winniemadimandela.govt@yahoo.fr
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