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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Meliana Bekeson." <oigddw@t-online.de>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Meliana Bekeson." <meliana.bekeson@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2017 21:14:39 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Thanks for your understanding.
Mrs. Meliana Bekeson.
N° 20 Avenue 21 Treichville.
Abidjan.Â
Greetings,
I once again try to reach you as my earlier message to you returned undelivered.
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I am presently very ill in a hospital from the Stroke that happened to me shortly after the death of my husband. I also thank God for the help and assistance i receiving from a nurse in the hospital who is also a believer (Nurse Felicia).
I have contacted you because there is the sum of €2,200,000.00 (Two Million Two Hundred Thousand Euros) deposited in a bank here by my late husband and i have chosen to donate this money so that you can use it for humanitarian and charity services.
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If you look round, you can see that there are a lot of handicapped children in many charity homes, motherless babies homes and even adults suffering from many health challenges that need help to ensure a better future of these less privileged and handicapped children suffering from things like Autism and other handicaps etc.
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You will agree with me that there can never be a better time to show them love and let them know that someone out there cares.Â
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With your cooperation, i will be happy to have helped in a little way to assist the needy and the less privileged.
Â
I wait for your urgent reply.
Â
Respectfully.
Mrs. Meliana Bekeson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
