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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.
- 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:
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- 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 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.
- fiduciaryclaim@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: " James Mensah." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fiduciaryclaimm@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:00:30 -0000
Subject: From Dr. James Mensah.
Foreign Credit Settlement Dept Acowas.
Chief Executive Dr. James Mensah.
Add: 33 Queens Gardens Accra.
Telephone: +233-245042803
Hello,
We happily announce to you that your name & email address appeared on our record among the list of unpaid European contractors/Lottery Winners, and who will be receiving their compensation of ($1.2MillionUSD).Payment been automatic in ATM Visa Card and your ATM Visa Credit Card will be release and deliver to your house as this is part of our precautionary measures adopted.
We also hope that you will avail yourself this golden opportunity in realizing the objective of this program. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your ticket number secret and confidential till your claims are processed and your ATM VISA CARD deliver to your doorstep. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements.
TO CLAIM YOUR ATM VISA CARD
Simply contact your Fiduciary Claim Agent so he can facilitate the process to releasing of your ATM Visa Credit Card immediately. Forward to him your details on this Email shown below:
Mr. Paul Shelton.
E-mail: fiduciaryclaim@gmail.com
Call me at this direct line +233-245042803 after sending a mail for confirmation.
Wait for your urgent response.
Yours in service,
Dr. James Mensah.
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