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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:
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Frank Ribchester
Reply-To: <id196338@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2015 16:18:47 -0800
Subject: KINDLY RESPOND TO ME RIGHT AWAY
Hi, I am Frank Ribchester, a banker in London. I have in my care £19.5M (NINTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS) and I need you to provide a secrete account to lodge in this money as soon as possible.
This money belongs to a Nigeria politician and formal governor of an oil rich state who is currently serving prison sentence here in United Kingdom.
My clients has about four (4) more years to be free but before then he requested that I help him relocate this fund from the present location to a more secured place where it cannot be traced to him pending his release and return to his home town in Nigeria.
Should you be willing to assist us in this transaction your share will be 20% of the £19.5M. The business itself is 100% safe/risk free on your part provided you treat it with utmost confidentiality by keeping this dealing within and only to yourself.
I will also like you to provide me with the following information so I can prepare the necessary paper works needed for the transfer of the money to your account;
1. Full name or Company name
2. Address
3. Occupation
4. Possition
5. Date of Birth
6. Home Telephone
7. Mobile Telephone
I want to assure you that I can make transfer of this fund possible provided you can give me a strong assurance that my client's share will be secured. Because I cannot comprehend with any form of exposure as I am still in active bank Service. Also, remember that time is of the essence in this business because if all things being equal, we expect to conclude this transaction and the fund confirm in your account within the next 10 to14 bank working days.
Yours sincerely
Mr. Frank Ribchester
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