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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: MRS MARY BONAGI <barrpeterhh@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <freon4777@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2015 20:25:01 -0700
Subject: GOOD MORNING: PROJECT
Hello Dear,
Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs. Mary Bonagi married to Dr. Peter Bonagi who worked with a construction company in Asia for twenty years before he died in the tsunami disasters, we were married but without Any children. Since his death I decided not to remarry and presently I am 89 Years old. When my late husband was Alive he deposited a huge sum of money with the security company.
Presently this money is still with the security company and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or Issue a letter of authorization to company or trusted someone who can receive it on my behalf if I cannot come over due to my age. I am in need of a reliable company/person that is trustworthy who will use the money for investment while the profit he makes will be used to fund orphanages and also help the poor around the world
If you assure me then I shall give you the contact of the security company .Please ensure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here and Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth.
Please provide me with the below details to enable me know you and also tell me about your investment plan when you receive the fund.
Name:
Address:
Phone:
Age:
Occupation:
I await your urgent reply.
Blessings,
Mrs Mary Bonagi
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Anti-fraud resources:
