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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:
- "express courier delivery" (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. )
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- 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.
- unitednationsunicefcashbenefit@rocketmail.com (Rocketmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "alina wagiran" <alina@fbb.utm.my>
Reply-To: unitednationunicefcashbenefit@rocketmail.com
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 21:18:07 +0800
Subject: CHEVRON OIL AND GAS 2013 AWARD:
CHEVRON OIL AND GAS 2013 AWARD:
This is to inform you that you have benefited
Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars
($500,000.00) from the On-line chevron Gas And Oil 2012
Cash Benefit and your email address was picked
via computer balloting TOPAZ which made you
the rightful benefactor.
NOTE that this cash benefit is geared towards
eradicating poverty allover the world before
2017 which is one of the goals of the Chevron Gas And Oil.
Do get back to us with this full details and also note that is your duty to
pay for the Courier Delivery of your winning check of ($500,000,00) to you.
FULL NAME:
AGE:
GENDER:
ADDRESS:
COUNTRY:
OCCUPATION:
MOBILE NUMBER:
Your Marital Status:
Find below is our Courier Company details send us an email now with your
details to enable us to deliver your winning funds to you.
Senior Dispatch Officer: Rooney Fox
Courier Name: BEX EXPRESS COURIER DELIVERY WEST AFRICA NIGERIA.
Phone Number: +234 8182 751352
Email: unitednationsunicefcashbenefit@rocketmail.com
NOTE : If You Receive This Message In Your
Junk Or Spam Its Due To Your Internet
Provider.
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Anti-fraud resources: