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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (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)
- "transferunionunit1@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "transferunionunit1@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "WESTERN UNION TRANSFER UNIT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <transferunionunit2@w.cn>
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 20:58:16 +0100
Subject: ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE?
ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE?
I am the General manager of western union transfer unit. This note was taken in my office where I was serving verification documents to the White men Mr Evra Terry and Mr John Eze who stormed my office in company of Mrs. Beson Ututumma (on white African attire). The black woman claimed to be your representative because of their inability to have paid your fund to you at the agreed time.
They said that you were dead and before your death, you appointed them as the next of kin to your contract fund presently under our custody these two white men and the black gentlelady quickly applied that your Inherited fund should be presented to them at the spot. The Official responsible for the presentation of fund quickly granted approvals to their application and packaged the fund sum of $500,000.00 for them to go with it.
I urgently summoned The Official responsible for the presentation of the fund and directed him to stop the movement of the funds and at the same time placed a stop order instruction on the funds pending when your views and comments are received with regards to this matter. Please respond to the western union trasfer unit urgently for your comments which will be highly appreciated, but we will not hesitate to continue the payment transmission to them if no response comes from you.
Contact western union transfer unit on his Email: transferunionunit1@w.cn
immediately to stop the payement to them as your silence will be a clear indication that you authorized them to effect the above changes and you are also dead. Write ( transferunionunit1@w.cn ) to let him know that you are still alife.
Regards.
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Anti-fraud resources:
