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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:
- "million dollars" (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)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- mensahbredu12@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mensah Bredu <rev.williamsjames@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mensahbredu12@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 28 May 2016 15:13:18 -0700
Subject: Re:28/05/2016
Hello My good friend.
My name is Mensah Bredu and i am a native of Ghana west Africa (gold
cost) Please i am 20 years only and the only survival of my family, my
mother and father are late.
I found you mature and i have respect for you. I need your help. Is
about my wicked uncle who have taken away all my late father's
properties in town. Now he ask me to give him the document of the
contract my late father did before he died under Chevron oil company,
because he heard they have approved the contract payment. I refused to
give him the paper because is the only thing left for me. Now the
company is asking me to present someone that i trust abroad who can
receive the payment on my behalf as my benefactor. The agreement
between them and my late father was that he will invest the money
abroad and the money must be receive abroad that is why I don't have
access to it here direct.
I have no one i can trust that is why i need your help no matter what
it takes. Am offering you 30% of the total amount. I will also allow
you to invest my own share on any profitable business over there in
your country then i will continue my education. If you are capable to
assist me please get back to me immediately. The amount of the
contract is $1.2 Million Dollars.(One Million two hundred thousand US
Dollars). If you are capable, email me direct on my private email:
mensahbredu12@hotmail.com
Forward to me your information for identification.
Full name ------------------------
Residential address ---------------------
Direct cell number -----------------
Identification ID -------------
Occupation----------------
Yours
Mensah Bredu
Email: mensahbredu12@hotmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
