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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.
- The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- " lotto international " (no such lottery exists)
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "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. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- +447031820331 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- globalcourierdelivery_services@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: CLAIMS CENTER <info_freelottopick@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:09:52 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Contact Courier For Delivery
Dear Mr. Gagane,
I received your mail.
Like I told your email address was among the lucky winner in this year Free Lotto award promotion.
All emails address was selected through a computer ballot system from all over the word. This program is to suppose the use of internet world wild.
You are to contact the courier company for the delivery of your winning cheque along with the winning certificate issued in your name.
Find below the contact details of the courier company once again.
CONTACT PERSON: PETER CLAY
COMPANY: GLOBAL COURIER SERVICES
ADDRESS OF HEAD OFFICE:
17 Chaucer House Churchill Gardens
London, SW1V 3DW United Kingdom
DIRECT EMAIL:
globalcourierdelivery_services@yahoo.co.uk
PHONE NUMBER: +447031820331
+447023082380
Note that the courier company does not have the right to deduct from your winning because is it issued in your name and it will be an offence to the company in this case, you are to finalize the delivery of your winning your self. Also you are to keep this winning confidential until your winning have be remitted to you by the courier company this is to claiming by some unscrupulous person that parson that where unlucky.
Note that this company has already paid the government tax before they allowed us to handover the winning cheque to the courier.
I advice you keep me updated on your proceedings with the courier company.
Congratulations once more.
Yours faithfully,
Mr.Wayne Johnson
Fiduciary Agent
Free Lotto International © 2007
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