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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:
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "africandeveloplment_finance@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "africandeveloplment_finance@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "OCHIL ADAMS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <africandeveloplment_finance@live.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2016 09:21:56 -0700
Subject: GB MINERAL MINING
African Development Bank Accra-Ghana
Ghana Country Office (GHFO)
No.1 Dr. Isert Road
7th Avenue Ridge
Accra, Ghana
(Regional Disbursement office)
http://www.afdb.org/en/countries/west-africa/ghana/
TEL:+ 233546992028 FAX: +233038427047
Email : africandeveloplment_finance@live.com
Date: 08/08/2016
SUB: WANT TO HELP YOU.
Dear,
I have the pleasure to introduce myself to you before going into my main
reason of contacting you. My names are Mr. Andy Fred Ochil, the Director
General in African Development Bank (AfDB).
I am contacting you in regards to your total funds which has been overdue
for payment but still floating in our Foreign Reserve Account as unclaimed
funds. I am contacting you based on what I discovered in your payment file I
know must be the main reason you have not been paid till date.
I discovered in your payment file some irregularities and discrepancies
which might cause the delay in paying you. It is all about your inability to
meet up with the Bank requirements because you are lacking some vital
documents in your payment file which I know must be the cause of the delay
in releasing your funds to you.
I will appreciate you get back to me on receipt of this message to enable me
know how I can assist you in this matter because your funds has been laying
unclaimed for very long time in my bank.
You can call me on the following telephone number for more details. Direct
Line:
TEL:+ 233546992028 . Email: africandeveloplment_finance@live.com
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Andy Fred Ochil,
The Director General in African Development Bank (AfDB).
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