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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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)
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
- "diplomatic delivery" ("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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- 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.
- pacificdiplomat20000@hotmail.fr (Hotmail, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Frank Obi <mrfrankobi@msn.com>
Reply-To: <pacificdiplomat20000@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 11:47:48 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT MESSAGE CONTACT PACIFIC DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY COMPANY
Dearest Friend,
How are you today?
I am writing to inform you that I have Paid the fee for your bank Draft. I went to the bank to confirm if the Check has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Henry Dona the Director of Financial Bank told me that the bank draft will expire in next five days, So without wasting time I told him to cash the TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY ($10.500,000.00 ) to cash payment to avoid losting of this funds.
However, all the necessary arrangement of delivering the of the fund has been made with PACIFIC DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY COMPANY here in Cotonou Benin Republic.
Then he also helped me to Register the Consignment with PACIFIC DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY COMPANY.I nfact I thank God very much for all the movement I made, every thing goes normally. As for our agreement with the Pacific delivery company they promised that your consignment will leave this Country immediately you send your delivery address to them. The Director of the PACIFIC
DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY COMPANY is now waiting for your delivery informations to enable them locate you immediately the Diplomat Agent arrived to your Country.
Please write a letter of application to the given address below.
ATTN: MR KELLY WOOD
TEl: 229 97-150-378
EMAIL: pacificdiplomat20000@hotmail.fr
EMAIL: pacificdiplomat20001@live.fr
Bellow is the requested information from You to enable them deliver the package to you immediately without any more delay
1.YOUR FULL NAME..
2.HOME ADDRESS..
3.CITY AND COUNTRY..
4.CELL PHONE..
5.HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER..
6.YOUR OFFICE TELEPHONE...
7.SEX..8.AGE..
Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Mr Frank Obi
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