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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:
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "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 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Lilian Alfred" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrslillianalfred@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2015 01:54:22 -0800
Subject: Read Carefully
My name is Mrs.Lilian Alfred, i am the head of operation officer of United Bank for africa plc (UBA PLC). Your File was brought to my table when I resumed to this office on the 31st of last Month and during my official research last week I discovered an abandoned ATM Master card valued sum of $12.5Million belonging to you as the rightfully intimate beneficiary.
I tried to know why this card have not been released to you but I was told that the former ATM head of operation who left this office two months ago with-held your card for his own personal use without knowing that I will not approve or support him to take your card.Now that your ATM Master card is still available for you to pick it up here in our bank, I want to know how you wish to receive your ATM card along with your four digits pin code number.
You can come down here in our bank to pick up your card direct from my office or alternatively it can be send to your address through any registered reliable courier service company that you will take care of the courier charge, I don't know the cost of shipping the card to you but if you permit me I will go to the courier company to find out the cost, but in that case you will be required to forward to me your address to enable find out the shipment cost to your location.
Your direct telephone number and email address will be needed and more details of your ATM card payment will be made known to you as soon as I receive your swift positive response, to enable you know the amount programmed for your ATM daily withdrawal.
Get back to me as soon as you receive this message. you can also reach me on my direct line: Tel: +234 905 050 5735 and I would respond to your mail from the email address of the bank upon the receipt of your mail.
Thanks For your anticipated co-operation and understanding. We will serve You better.
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs.Lilian Alfred
Tel: +234 905 050 5735
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