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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "% commission" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- p_kwame1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Paul Kwame" <sameeralansarigh@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: p_kwame1@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 21:31:42 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Contract Supply
Dear Sir/Madam
I am Mr. Paul Kwame, the Director of Paulson International Trading Company which is located here in Accra – Ghana; I want to use this opportunity to let you know that we are accredited commission agent to the Humanitarian Development for West Africa states on contract allocation to foreign Companies around the Globe through the ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS) Foreign Project/Contract Department, Republic of Ghana.
There is an ongoing offer for the supply of Mineral Waters and bad Sheets / Pillow Cases to different Hospital sectors in the country. The products needed urgently are as stated below:
1. HOSPITAL BED SHEETS AND PILLOW CASES
2. MINERAL WATER /SPRING WATER
3. T-SHIRTS
4. MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
5 TREATED MOSQUITO NET
6 T-SHIRT/UMBRELLAS
7 AGRO CHEMICALls.
8 CINDOMS
This tender is open to all reputable companies from different parts of the world and I am going to act as your local agent on 2% commission basis. Please, if this interests you, kindly reply back to Me So that i can give you every details of this project and how we are going to participate in this bid. Kindly offer your products as well, we will present to the buyer once confirmed.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Paul Kwame
Director
Paulson International Trading Company
Roman Ridge Rd Accra – Ghana
Tel: +233 5424 04799
E-Mail: p_kwame1@hotmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
