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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:
- "death certificate" (this phrase is often used in inheritance scams such as next of kin or https://www.419scam.org/419-murdered-businessman.htm">orphan scams. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Belinda Wiliam <belinda.wiliam@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Belinda Wiliam <belinda.wiliam@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 10:20:31 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Hello
Am Belinda Wiliams,a Canadian citizen and 28 years old single lady,
I wish to inquire of your services to be my partner/investor and support me to transfer and manage my funds by investing in profit making ventures like buying of company shares or Real Estate Investment Trust funds ,i am not in Canada now. I don't have anybody here.
I have a reasonable sum that I inherited from my step father Mr.Desmond Wiliams,which I would like you to help me invest it in your country.
Attached here are my personal photos, evidence of deposit of the fund, my international passport and my late father’s death certificate in France. I am sending all these for you to have confidence that you are dealing with a genuine person.
Please reply me as soon as you read this message and the documents so that I can know how to proceed.
Note:below is the major reason i am contacting you.
(1) To provide a new empty bank account which this money would be transfer. if you dont want us to use your personal account .
(2) To serve as a guardian of this fund since bank insist that their agreement with my father was that i provide a foriegn partner before releasing the fund.
(3) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and to secure a resident permit in your country.
Best regards.
Belinda wiliams
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Anti-fraud resources:
