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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:
- "security keeping fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "certified bank draft" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- 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.
- fedexupdate02@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "FedEx Express ®Courier Company." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fedexupdate02@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:32:50 -0800
Subject: Re-Confrim your Home Address
Dear Beneficiary,
Your package worth the sum of £500,000.00GBP (Five Hundred Thousand Great
Britain Pound Sterling in a certified bank draft is in our office ready
for delivery, it was given to us by Mr. Bill Gates wealth (Head Consultant)
of the Microsoft Corporation United Kingdom saying that it was won by your
e-mail address in their on going Microsoft Online Sweepstakes 2010 in
conjuction with Oil & Gas Nigeria Ltd.She is here in Nigeria for a three
(3) months Surveying Project as she works with a consultant firm in West
Africa.We are sending you this email because your package has been
registered on a Special Order.
What you have to do now, is to contact our Delivery Department for
immediate dispatch of your package to your resident address. Note that as
soon as our Delivery Team confirms your information, it will take only
24{One}working days (24 hours) for your package to arrive it's designated
destination.You are advised to contact our Head Dispatch Officer Mr Alex
Ferguson for your parcel delivery to your house address. Please provide him
with your personal details listed below:
Full Name:
House Address:
Telephone Number
Occupation:
Sex:
Age:
Country:
*********************************************
FedEx Express ®Courier Company West-Africa
Mr. Alex Ferguson {Head Dispatch Officer}
E-mail: fedexupdate02@hotmail.com
Telephone: +234 - 81- 3829- 3059
*********************************************
Note that, you will be responsible to pay for your parcel Delivery Fees
fees of $210USD because Mr. Bill Gates wealth has only paid for your parcel
security keeping fees.
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Anti-fraud resources:
