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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "certificate 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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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: Mr Martin Morris <"WWW."@tuba.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "louis.obi@yahoo.com" <louis.obi@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2017 08:58:26 +0900 (JST)
Subject: CUSTOMS SERVICES AUTHORITY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HARRISBURG
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CUSTOMS SERVICES AUTHORITY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT (MDT) PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES DIRECTOR OFFICE IN CHARGE.Mr MARTIN
MORRIS CHINA 514 AIRPORT RD. HARRISBURG,PA,17056,US
ATTENTION: MY DEAR FRIEND.
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU ABOUT YOUR PACKAGE HERE THAT WAS CONFISCATED BY THIS US CUSTOM OFFICE IN HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MDT) PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES.
YOUR PACKAGE HAS BEEN HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE FROM AFRICAN WITH THE CONSIGNMENT BOX WORTH OF $10.5 USD AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 24 HOURS FOR YOU TO GET ALL YOUR CLEARANCE PAPER WORKS OUT, WITH THE AMOUNT OF $105 DOLLARS ONLY, WE NEED IT AT THE OFFICE BEFORE THIS HOURS OR THE CONSIGNMENT BOX WILL BE SEIZED AGAIN FOR THE FINAL DIVERSION BY GOVERNMENT OF USA HERE AND YOU WILL LOSE THE CONSIGNMENT BOX.
BESIDES NO CONSIGNMENT BOX LEAVES THE INTERNATIONAL AIR PORT WITH OUT OUR NEEDED CUSTOMS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE WHICH COST ONLY $105 BECAUSE SOMETIMES AGO NOW THE DIPLOMAT HAVE BEEN EMAILING YOU TO SEND US OUR CUSTOMS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FEES BUT YOU KEEP ON DELAYING THEN WE ADVICE AGAIN IF YOU MISS THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT MEANS IT WILL BE VERY HARD FOR YOU TO GET THIS CONSIGNMENT AGAIN.
ONCE AGAIN WE NEED YOUR ANXIOUS MAIL DIRECT TO THIS US CUSTOM OFFICE BEFORE THESE HOURS FOR YOUR CONSIGNMENT TO LEAVE THIS AIR PORT TO YOUR LOCATION. THIS IS THE ONLY MONEY YOU WILL PAY NOTHING MORE ! NOTHING LESS.
YOUR CAN DIRECT THE IMMUNITY STAMP TAG CERTIFICATE FEES TO BENIN REPUBLIC CUSTOM HEAD OFFICE AS THE ORIGIN OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX AND THEY WILL GET IT OBTAIN TO ENABLE THE U.S CUSTOM RELEASE YOUR DIPLOMATIC AGENT TO YOUR DESTINATION. AND THEY ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE ANY PAYMENT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE REQUIRED PAYMENT OF $105 SHOULD SENT TO USA HERE FOR SECURITY REASON SO THAT WE CAN FORWARD TO THE BENIN REPUBLIC CUSTOM SERVICE AS THE ORIGINATOR OF YOUR PACKAGE.
YOU ARE TO SEND THE $105 THROUGH WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM WITH THE BELOW INFORMATION:
RECEIVER'S NAME:=== JOHN OBI
CITY:==========PORTO-NOVO
COUNTRY=======BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION=====URGENT?
ANSWER=======URGENT
AMOUNT=====$105
MTCN No#.....
SENDER NAME.........
YOUR OUR CONSIGNMENT BOX IS HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE FROM AFRICAN WITH THE CONSIGNMENT BOX AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS? WE NEED IT AT THE OFFICE WITHIN 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS.
THANK AND GOD BLESS.
BEST REGARDS
Mr Martin Morris
CUSTOMS SERVICES USA AUTHORITY COUNTRY
Harrisburg International Airport
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