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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: Barr. Ibrahim<altibrah2002@gmail.com>
Reply-To: altbra001@gmail.com
Date: 26 Aug 2021 03:43:39 +0100
Subject: #Your Next of Kin
Barr. Altan Ibrahim.
Address: Mühürdar Cd. No:55Caferağa, 34710 Kadıköy/İstanbul
Telephone:
Dear .........
I'm Barrister Altan Ibrahim, an attorney to Late Eng. Mark who was a former Director of (Dutch-American Engineering Construction Company) an international Civil Engineering and Construction company based in Istanbul Turkey. On February 3rd, 2015, my client, his wife and only daughter were involved in a car accident and unfortunately lost their lives. My client had a Non-Resident account in a bank here in Istanbul Turkey valued at about $18.7 Million U.S dollars.
I decided to locate you through an international business directory and to present you for this claim as required by the Turkish banking policy on Inheritance matters. In the course of my research i contacted you and want to party with you in this joint venture of repatriating the money and property left behind by my client.
I want you to stand as the next of kin so that the proceeds of this account in the sum of $18.7 Million U.S dollars will be transferred to your bank account, then I will come over to your country for the sharing of the money in the ratio of 45% to me and 45% to you while 10% will be donated to the orphanage homes.
Your honest cooperation to enable us achieve this business deal is required of you. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. I will need the following information from you to help us proceed.
Your Full Names:................
Full Address:.....................
Your Age:.......................
Occupation:...................
....
Your Telephone numbers for Communication Purpose:.............
I await your urgent reply to enable me give you more details.
With respect,
Barr. Altan Ibrahim. |
