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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.
- 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:
- "clearance fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- 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.
- 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.
- zenithpaybank@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Info" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ppayments2@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2080 15:08:49 -0800
Subject: INFORMATION
ATTN BENEFIARY.
This message is from office of the President Federal Republic Of Nigeria. we want to inform you that we are working according to your instruction regards to your $12musd fund release to your next of Kin as you instruct us to do. right now we have arrange for the release of the said fund $12MUSD to your Next Of Kin (JENIFER MOORE) as you direct us and she is right here in Nigeria to pay all the necessary fee and indorse her signature for the final release of the fund tomorrow morning so we decide to inform you that every thing is working according to your instruction and by tommorrow the fund $12musd will be release to Jenifer Moore because she submited the change of ownership certificate with your signature from you that we should go ahead and release the $12musd to her as your Next Of Kin . right now Jenifer Moore was in Nigeria today to submit her passport and Bank account details include the clearance fee of $200 and the President Of Nigeria (DR EBELE GOODLUCK JONATHAN ) h
ave given order to zenith Bank Ni
Below is the bank address order to release the $12musd to Jenifer Moore.
Bank Manager; DR TONY ISIKA
TEL; +2348055460435
Email; zenithpaybank@gmail.com
Thanks
Dr Ralph Dike
Special Adviser to president.
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