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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "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.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR. Greg Johnson" <info.gregj@zing.vn>
Date: Sun, 22 May 2011 22:16:14 +0400
Subject: Non Resident Tax Clearance--
Valued Attention.
Thank you for your email, Your fund is $10.000 USD. So i want you to
understand that i dont know him. so what i want you to do now is to go and
send the requested fee now so that we can get your fund sent to you today
without any further delay again.
The security of your data and transactions is crucial to us, we therefore
apply one of the best security standards available (128 bit SSL); this
(SSL) apply to the business relationship and supplement any agreements made
by individual contract. Base on the information we received, it is
mandatory and compulsory that you send $32 to our loot office in republic
of Benin for your NON IMMIGRANT TRANSIT TAX . Below is the details to
send the fee for NON IMMIGRANT TRANSIT TAX by Western Union or money gram
Only.
Receives Name:-------- Kelvin O. Omokwe
Country:--------- Benin Republic
City/state:--------- Cotonou.
Question:--------- What for?
Answer:-------- -Tax
Amount:--------- $32
MTCN:---------
Immediately the fee is sent for the programming of the information in the
micro chip compartment of central which will comply with bank of America
to effect the transfer of the fund exactly on the particular date or period
(24 hours) specified in the transfer script text for the fund to be made
available to you any way you wish to receive it. Please kindly forward us
the Mtcn.
Considering the circumstances at hand, you are advice not to accept any
E-mail telephone calls that does not come from this office this is to
forestall new effort towards a diversion of your payment. Accept our
congratulations in advance.
Best regards,
Dr. Greg Johnson
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Anti-fraud resources:
