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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:
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Mary Clement" <mrs.maryclement@outlook.fr>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Mary Clement" <mrsmaryclement@outlook.fr>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2015 00:07:50 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greetings sir/madam !!!
Greetings sir/madam !!!
He made this deposit of $( 2.7 Million )USD Two million Seven hundred thousand in a bank here in
Abidjan . He took this decision with me to use this fund in building an
orphanage in his name that will accommodate thousand's of children and also to use part of this fund in helping the less fortunate and to spread the gospel of the lord to the remote
places of the world. Recently, my Doctor told me that i would not last
for the next 5 months due to cancer & stroke illness.
Having known my condition i decided
to seek for a competent and reliable God fearing person or orgnisation
to entrust this fund to utilize it the way i narrated above as my late
husband desired.
As soon as i receive your reply i
shall give you the relevant documents that will legalize you to have
access over this fund. I will also issue you an affidavit that will
proove you the present beneficiary of this fund in the bank. I want you
to always pray for me because the lord is my shepherd.
Please always be prayerful all through your life and pray to God to forgive me my sins. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for
another alternative or a God fearing person for this same purpose.
Assure me that you will act accordingly as i stated herein. Hoping to
receive your reply.
Your's Sister in faith,
Mrs Mary
Clement
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