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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.
- 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.
- elizberthe@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Elisabeth Thorsen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <elizberthe@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 12 May 2015 06:42:29 -0700
Subject: I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Dear one,
Life sometimes is miserable and in some cases we do not get what we want out of life. You must be grateful to our good Lord who has blessed you with good life. As for me, I am not as lucky as you. My doctor has just given me a bad news. I won't be alive in the next two months as a result of colon cancer.
My late husband left money but of what use are they to a dying woman like me. I have no child to inherit this inheritance and my wicked in-laws are not helping matters. I pray you don't go through what I have gone through. Dear one, if you can be trusted with my inheritance I am ready to allow you gain access to them but you will have to build a foundation in memory of me and my beloved late husband whom I am happy to meet very, very soon in heaven.
I am one of those good hearted ones who has passion for the orphans and the less privileged and for God to take me now means He has done what He think is the best. Can we question God? Let his will be done. Use my inheritance in a manner that will put smile on the faces of the orphans and the less privileged and as you do this my soul will rest in peace. But if you know you aren't going to be trusted with my inheritance please do not bother to contact me because conscience is an open wound and it is only truth that can heal it.
Yours worried,
Elisabeth Thorsen.
Email: elizberthe@yahoo.com.hk
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Anti-fraud resources:
