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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us 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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
- farooqhassan1000@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Farooq Hassan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <farooqhassan1001@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2015 23:09:04 -0400
Subject: YOUR REPLY IS IMPORTANT
Dear Friend,
On the 28th of October 2009 a gang of Taliban attacked and bombed Peshawar
Pakistan when a car bomb was detonated in a Mina Bazar of that region
killing 137 people and injured more than 200 including Engr. Steve a
customer with Noor bank of Dubai. Consequently I was assigned by the
Management of my bank as his account officer to help locate any of his
close family relation to Claim the money he deposited with the bank.
Mr. Steve has in his account with Noor Bank of Dubai before his sudden
death the sum of $10.2 million USA dollars. All efforts to locate any of
his immediate family proved abortive since he did not reside in Dubai with
any of his family being a contractual staff with Emirate National oil
company. Having been unsuccessful in locating any of his relatives this
past periods mostly as his 4 ( four) years contact is due to expire very
soon , I decided to contact you to assist in Repatriating the money and
properties left behind by my client before they get confiscated or
declared Unserviceable by the bank.
I seek your consent and cooperation to present you as the next of kin to
the deceased, over the Proceeds of this account valued at ($10.2 million
US Dollars) to be paid to you and then you and I can share the money in
the ratio of 50% to me and 50% to you.All I need is your honest
cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will
be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me
from any breach of the law. I will appreciate some measure of
confidentiality until we finish the transaction, because of my position in
the bank Please do reply mail to: farooqhassan1000@gmail.com
Regards,
Farooq Hassan.
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