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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:
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "calvary greetings" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "remain blessed" (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: rita daniel <dan.rita@aol.fr>
Reply-To: rita daniel <ritadaniel134@yahoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2015 23:16:38 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From Mrs. Rita Daniel
Dear,
Calvary greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm Mrs. Rita Daniel Kuwait. I was married to Daniel Mr.John. Who worked with Kuwait embassy in Ivory Coast 19 years without a child and
my husband died in 2008. I am contacting you to let you know my desire
to donate the sum of $ 2.5 million in a bank here in Abidjan Cote d? Ivory. Presently, this money is still in the bank for charities at home and I inherited from my late husband. Because of my illness (cancer) I have confirmed that out of just eight months
by doctors, so it is my desire to see that this money is invested to any organization of your choice and distributed each year among charities motherless babies home, schools and support for the men and women who are homeless or what you may consider to be the benefit of the less fortunate. I do not want this fund to be invested in an untimely manner. Once I receive your reply confirming your acceptance of the work, I
will give all relevant information to authorize the release and transfer the money to you as my duly appointed
representative.
My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Whoever wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and in truth.
I want to send the following to me by the procession of the affidavit:
(1) Your full name ............................
(2) Your address ......................
(3) ................. Nationality
(4) His Age / Sex ......................
(5) Your Occupation .....................
(6) Your marital status .................
(7) Your telephone number ...........
This information need is very urgent. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another person for this same purpose.
I hope to receive your urgent response.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Yours in Christ
Thank you
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