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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:
- "inheritance funds" (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: Hope Carl <"www."@alpha.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Hope Carl <engr.hopecarl@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:27:21 +0900 (JST)
Subject: HELLO
Hello friend,
Please accept my proposal for the sake of God
My name is Mrs. Hope Carl from Columbia working as a marine Engineer in Republic Du Benin before i fall sick.
I am an Esophageal Cancer patient, and presently hospitalized here in India. My doctor says I have a few months to live. I have been touched by God to donate my inherited funds $950.000.00 USD for good work of God, the funds is with my bank in Benin Republic where i worked before i was flown to India for treatment
I will be going in for an operation soon. Please i need your help to claim my inheritance funds from the bank and use it for the good work of God, to set up a foundation for the orphanage, widows and other people around the world because the doctor has confirmed that i will not survive.
This is what i need to do before i die so that my soul will be at rest.
Please respond back to me with your data if you are interested to handle this so that i can link you up with my bank.
You will be entitled to 30 percent of the total money and then you use 70 percent of the total money to do the work of God in my name so that i will be at rest when i die.
I wait to hear from you so that we can arrange everything on time before i go for surgery
Regard's
Mrs. Hope
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Anti-fraud resources:
