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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million pounds" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- 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.
- +447045797078 (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.
- charriotonlinegame@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: charriotonlinegame@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:50:11 GMT
Subject: Ref No: CAD/WIN/008/07/03/LUK
CHARRIOT AWARD DEPARTMENT
Serial No: 51622
Ref No: CAD/WIN/008/07/03/LUK
WINNING NOTIFICATION LETTER
We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer
balloting sweepstake held on October 2008. This is a millennium
scientific computer game in which email addresses were used.It is a
promotional programme aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore
you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it, You have been approved
for one of the prizes along side four other lucky winners.Your prize is
worth 1,000,000.00 Pounds Sterling (One Million Pounds Sterling Only),
as you won in the forth Category of the programme.
To file for your claim, please contact our verification department:
Verification Department
Mr. Micheal Powell
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DIRECTOR
Email:charriotonlinegame@yahoo.com.hk
Telephone: +44 704 579 7078
VERIFICATION FORM
1.FULL NAME:
2.CONTACT ADDRESSS:
3.SEX:
4.AGE:
5.OCCUPATION:
6.NATIONALITY:
7.PHONE NUMBER:
8.DATE OF WINNING NOTIFICATION:
9.Serial No:
10.Ref No:
11.HOW DO YOU FEEL AS WINNER:
12.ANNUAL INCOME:
Good luck from me and members of
CHARRIOT AWARD DEPARTMENT
Best Regards,
Mrs. Doral White.
(Management).
London, United Kingdom
Anti-fraud resources:
