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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Tony Owusu <mrsmargaretallen25@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrtonyallenowusu2017@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2017 11:21:48 -0800
Subject: NEXT OF KIN
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Dear
I am Mr Tony Allen,A reputable banker here in Accra Ghana
On the 15 march 2008, A young millionaire ( Mr Victor) A crude oil
dealer who happen to have the same surname as yours.and who has your
country in his file as his place of origin made a fixed deposit of a
hug amount of money with my bank, But sadly he was among the death
victims in the may 2008 earthquake disaster in China that killed over
5,000 people because he was in China on a business trip and that was
how he meet his end.
Therefore, I am seeking your co-operation to present you as his next
of kin and the one to benefit from his fund since you are from the
same country with him and bear the same surname so that my bank will
pay the funds to you. I have done enough inside bank arrangement and
only have to put in your details into the information network in the
bank's database and reflect you as his next of kin because he did not
mention any next of kin\heir when the account was opened because he
was not married and no children.
There is no risk involve.The transaction will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.
This transaction will be of a great mutual assistance to us
I will review further information's/Details and procedures to you as
soon as I receive your positive reply t
I wait for your positive response.
Regards
Mr Tony Allen
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