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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:
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found 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 Sue Bownd" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrkiwrong@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2017 04:20:31 -0700
Subject: Dear beloved
Dear beloved
My name is Mrs Sue Bownds, I am member of St. Andrew's Anglican Church. I pray that the good Lord, will make all things new to bring hope alive in your heart and cause your Spirit to be born again. On your behalf I thank God for this New Year For all the potential it holds. May His Holy Spirit Come and kindle in you A mighty flame So that will not only see but experience the wonders of God And live forever to praise His glorious name. Amen
In Philippians 3:13-14, (NIV) it says, Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. I pray that troubles of yesterday will not hold us back in building a greater future.
I have a Humanitarian project which I would be more than to handle with your good person. I will give more details as soon as I receive your reply. This mail may come to you as a surprise or too good to be true since we had any form of former relationship. I am quite convinced that I am been laid by the spirit to contact you for this wonderful job. This project will be of good benefit to the less privileged in our society today and I am hoping you will not turn me down.
I sincerely pray you do not decline this call. I would've handle this project all by me but my ailing health has completely made it impossible and I am always surrounded by some people I do not wish to disclose any information concerning the Funds involved.
Your urgent response will be appreciated. I will give you more details about this project and my good self as soon as I hear from you.
Kindly forward the following particulars
Your Full Name
Home or company address
Phone number
I sincerely hope to read from you any time soon.
Respectfully sister in the Lord.
Mrs Sue Bownd
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