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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:
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- dl797040@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "John Wright." <fullmaq@mastercabo.com.br>
Reply-To: dl797040@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 05:28:29 -0200 (BRST)
Subject: Business Proposal.
Good day,
I do apologize if the content here under are contrary to your moral
ETHICS, but please treat it with absolute secrecy and personal courtesy.
I have written an earlier email to you but no response; I am writing
following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense benefit
to both of us. In my first email I did mentioned to you about One Of Our
Foreign Customers who had some huge fund deposited with our bank in
Europe before he died in 2003.
Since his death I have received several memo in my department,
requesting me to provide his next of kin or any of his relatives who
can make claim before the end of the year or they will be left with no
option than to confiscate everything.
I have conducted search to see if I can make contact with any of his
relatives but without success, it is in the course of my effort that I
have to contact you. It will be better to present you as the next
of kin and the right beneficiary of the fund in the account with the bank.
I will provide you with all the necessary legal backup that is required
until this money is paid out to you by the bank and then we both share
it base on our agreement.
I want to assure you that there is virtually no risk on your person as
you will not be made to appear in person and all the paper work will
be prepared in your name by a competent attorney. To achieve this: you
will first of all, assure me that you will maintain strict confidentiality
on this information and must assure me that you will not make away with the
money when it gets into your possession.
Do respond quick if you are interested or should you need further
clarification because we have no much time left. Get back to me via:
dl797040@gmail.com
Thanks and God bless.
Regards,
John Wright.
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