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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- taofikmali@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: TAOFIK MALI <taofikmali1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: taofikmali@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 16:13:02 +0100
Subject: FROM:TAOFIK MALI
Dear Friend
Good day nice to get in contact with you after my search for a
reliable personality.Am Taofik Mali 18 year old from Syria city Aleppo
town Syria.
Unfortunately, the war in my country made me to run away to Dubai for
my life that is why i need your assistance, am in United Arab Emirate
because is a Islamic country and i lost my parents in the war but my
Daddy was a known oil and gas merchant in my country Syria after a
search I found his official documents in a file for a contract done
in Libya and Saudi Arabia and money deposited in the European bank
which will be disclose to you upon your reply his deposited amounted
$250m but now the bank is asking me to come for a claim or i should
present next of kin.
That is why I am contacting you to come to my aid and invest this fund
for me as an Orphan’s am here now under the custody of a diplomat in
Dubai United Arab Emirates without any means of proper parental
guidance and communication. Please I would want you to keep this
transaction strictly confidential because of my position I have no
body or any other means of getting on in life unless you assist me to
get this money out of the bank to your personal care and investment.
In view of the fund in Europe I will forward to you all necessary
Official documents for you to claim the money on my behalf
I will compensate you with 25% of the total sum then you will invest
the other fund 75% in your name. Please if you would be of help get
back to me with your complete data asp as to know way forward, then
you will tell me if it would be possible to visit the finance house in
Europe?
Please in case you are interested to assist me send your mails to:
taofikmali@hotmail.com
Yours faithfully
TAOFIK MALI
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