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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:
- "uk national lottery" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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. )
- "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.
- +447045790939 (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.
- westinland_deliveryexp2008@yahoo.com.cn (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- 3awestinland_deliveryexp2008@yahoo.com.cn
Fraud email example:
From: "44 4567" <uknationwideonlinedraw@mail.mn>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:18:47 +0100
Subject: UK NATIONAL LOTTERY ORGANIZATION
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY ORGANIZATION
TICKET FREE/ONLINE E-MAIL ADDRESS WINNINGS DEPARTMENT.
If you are the correct owner of this email address then be glad this day as
the result of the UK lotto free ticket online e-mail address winning draws
and sweepstakes held on the 1st of June 2008 has
just been released and we are glad to announce to you that your e-mail
address has won you the free ticket online lottery in the first winning
category and you are entitled to claim the sum of
US$4.6M.
Your email addresses was entered for the online draw on this Free Ticket
Number: APP236566301307 and won on this Lucky Number:MX014926583. All
winners cheque are certified cashiers and are
cash able in any bank of any country.For your won prize certified cashiers
cheque redemption contact the Courier Company in charge of all winners
cheque delivery on the below information:
Your country of origin and country of residence/work, complete official
names, amount won, free ticket and lucky numbers, date of draw, address
where your wish to receive your winnings
cheque, contact telephone and mobile numbers. [Sex, age, occupation and
job title].
E-mail Address:westinland_deliveryexp2008@yahoo.com.cn<Address%3Awestinland_deliveryexp2008@yahoo.com.cn>
MR JONATHAH HOU
Tel +447045790939
Just in case you are thinking of how you won without entering then know
again that this very draw of the UK Lottery Organization in which you have
emerged as a winner was a free ticket online
email address draws where thousands of email addresses was collected from
almost all world wide websites and used for the online draws/sweepstakes
and during winners selection your email
address came out among the first ten which won you the lottery in the first
winnings category and entitles you to claim the cheque of $4,600,000.00
Winning Notification Department,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY ORGANIZATION.
Anti-fraud resources:
