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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic security company" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (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.
- 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.
- +22993913542 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- d_c_s_beninrepublic02@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: barrfrankumar7@zipmail.com.br
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 18:15:18 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?CONTACT=20=20THEM=20=20NOW?=
(FRANK UMAR& COUNSELORS AT LAW)
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA DODOMEY
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
Dear Friend,
I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Bank Draft
but did not heard from you since that time ,then I went and deposited the
Draft with DIPLOMATIC Security Company here in Benin Republic , because
I travelled to paraguay to see my boss and will not come back till next
month end. You have to contact the diplomatic coureir delivery Company to
know when they will deliver your package .I have paid for the delivering
charges and insurance fee.
The only money you have to send to them is there security keeping fee which
is $95.00 Us Dollars to received your package.Don't be deceived by any body
This is there Contact Address Contact Dr.PETER ODILI Director DIPLOMATIC
COURIER SERVICE Benin Republic. E-mail;(d_c_s_beninrepublic02@yahoo.fr
) Phone number +229-9391-3542.
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the security
keeping fee.I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm
it to them again to avoid any mistake in the delivering.
Let me know as soon as you receive your Draft .
Thanks
Barr.Frank Umar
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