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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.
- The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447035903132 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447045705404 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- ebsinterprivatebk@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: DAVID SMITH <info_agent016@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:11:03 +0100 (BST)
Subject: URGENTLY:
MERCEDES-BENZ LOTTERY
AWARD DEPARTMENT:
22 Garden Close, Stamford,
Lincs, PE9 2YP, London,
United Kingdom.
Dear winner,
Thanks for your update,and the contents is well understood,concerning your winning funds it has been deposited in an online bank on your behalf for safety,this was an approach by our lottery manager,Mr Henry Hills, because your cheque has overdued its time of withdrawal,so for winners to claim their prize without hiddrance our honourable management has already deposited the won funds in an online suspends account to enable our lucky winners claim their funds any time before the lottery close date will be announced by our lottery manager, in the light of the above you are advice to contact the payout institution on enquiries on how to claim your won prize and their contact details is shown below:
Ebs International bank:
122-123 Hockerill Street,
Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire,
CM23 2DL.United.Kingdom
Tel: +44-704-570-5404
Fax: +44-707-502-0586
Email:ebsinterprivatebk@accountant.com
Order Number: ILOL/CB/657252.
You are advised to send the payout institution an e-mail to ( ebsinterprivatebk@accountant.com) for their Transfer. When contacting them, you are to include this order number (ILOL/CB/657252_MERCEDES-BENZ ) as your subject. Please you are advised to write down the order number and save it for future reference.
IMPORTANCE: your winning informations should be keep out of the reach of the public to avoid double claim and any unwanted circumstances.
We await your response with the dealings from the transfering bank as soon as posible,have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Mr, David Smith.
processing Officer,
Tel:+447035903132
+447031836032
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