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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:
- "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: Veronica Ann Muller <verronica.muller@gmail.com>
Reply-To: a.verronicamuller@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 10 May 2021 18:01:46 +0100
Subject: RE:Hello
--
Hello,
I believe you are doing good. I'm Mrs.Veronica A.Muller 62 year old
woman from Swiss.I have to find strength and courage from my sick bed
to write you today before is too late, I am motivated by the ongoing
Corona virus issues facing the world today.
I was married to late Engineer Filipovic Muller a Swiss expatriate and
also a businessman who based and work in Abidjan for the period of 21
years. As faith may have it our marriage ended without any children my
husband died in a car accident in Abu Dhabi on a business trip to
United ArabEmirates. When my husband was alive,after our last visit to
your country we both agree to donate some money to help the less
privileged children and set up a orphanage home but this plan was
chartered by the death of my husband.
I am currently admitted in the hospital for a treatment for cancer
which I have been suffering for 8 years now. In fact I am contacting
you because I want to make a humanitarian gesture to the location of
all sensitive souls. My late husband and I had mobilized a small
fortune that we want to invest in humanitarian charity works. But
considering my health condition now, I can no longer fulfill this
project by myself.I want you to complete this project on my behalf.
I am contacting you after my few daily prayers with believing that you
are God's chosen one to complete this project in good faith. I will be
waiting for your respond.
Yours faithfully
Sister.Veronica Ann Muller
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Anti-fraud resources:
