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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:
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
- stellapeters41@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Stella Peters <stellapeters41@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Stella Peters <stellapeters41@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2017 09:43:46 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: From Stella Peters
From Stella Peters
Email; stellapeters41@hotmail.com
My Dear
My name is Mrs Stella Peters a nationality of Gambia I am married to late
Mr.Martins Peters who worked with Gambia embassy in Ivory Coast for nine
years before he died in the month October 2013.We were married for twenty
years with a child. He died after the illness that lasted for long four
days. Before his death we were both born again Christians. When my late
husband was alive we deposited the sum of $5 Million (Five Million
U.S.Dollars) with one of good banks here in Cote d'Ivoire .
Presently, this money is still with the bank. Recently my Doctor told me
that I would not last for the next three months due to my cancer problem.
Though what disturbs me most is my stroke. Having known my condition I
decided to donate this fund to good individual that
will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct him.
I want a person that will use this fund orphanages,
research centers and widows.
I took this decision because I have a child that will inherit this money but my
daughter can not carry out this work only himself because of his age. I and my
late husband decide to use some of the money to work for God and leave some
for our son to have a better live. Our daughter is just 17 year old now and
been grow up in Africa , she have low maturity and my husband's relatives
are not good people and I don't want my family hard earned money to be
misused . I don't want a situation where this money will be
used in an ungodly manner. Hence the reason for taking this bold
decision.I dont want your telephone communication in this regard because
of my health condition my Doctor told me to avoid receiving telephone call
and also because of the presence of my family relatives around me always
I don't want any of my husband family relatives to receive this money.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall inform you all the necessary
requirement you have to send to me so that I can go to the bank to
officially present you as the actual person that I have directed to handle
and manage this money on behalf of my family and also give you the contact
of the Finance/bank so that you can go ahead and contact them. I will also
issue you a letter of authority that will empower you as the new
beneficiary of this fund. Please assure me that you will act
accordingly as I stated here.
Expecting to hearing from you, Remain blessed in the name of the Lord. I
am waiting for your response.
You can reach me at this email here ( stellapeters41@hotmail.com )
Remain Blessed
Mrs. Stella Peters.
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