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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "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 Pamela Abbey <mrspamelaabbey@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Mrs Pamela Abbey <pamelaabbey01@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2015 03:23:14 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greetings in the name of our Lord.
Greetings in the name of our Lord.
I
Mrs Pamela Abbey I'm 63 years old. I married to a Ivorian man Late Dr
Paul Abbey for pass 34 year without any child my late husband was the
deputy director of Coco farm agriculture in Cote D’Ivoire and he was
killed by the top officers collaborate with rebels during the
presidential election here on October 2010.Now i am suffering from lung
cancer for a long time,My state of health is really deteriorating and it
is quite obvious that according to my doctors, they told me that I can
not live in the coming 3 months .
I have some funds I inherited
from my late loving husband Late Dr Paul Abbey which he deposited
(US$4.500,000.00) one of Internation Bank here Abidjan Ivory Coast and I
want to donate a large sum to help the less privileged,But i needed a
very honest and God fearing person that can use this funds for God's
work and 20% out of the total funds will be for your compensation for
doing this work of God.
If you are willing please get back to me
with your full contact address so that i will submit it to the
Internation Bank to enable them know you.
1) Your Full Name
2) Your residential Address
3) Occupation
4) Marital Statues
5) Age
6) Telephone/Fax number.
Yours Sister in the Lord,
Mrs Pamela Abbey.
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