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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:
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- dhl_courier_service00@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Dhl Courier Company <shitu@xtra.co.nz>
Reply-To: dhl_courier_service00@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 22 May 2010 04:00:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Dhl Courier Company
Good Day
I am glad to send you this email to notify you concerning your ATM CARD which
is in our custody for the past few months.
We want you to understand that the delivery fees is being paid by the
authorities and what you need to do now is to contact us immediately so that
the delivery will commence to your doorstep as soon as possible.
Note that you are to pay for the safe keeping security fees of your ATM CARD
which is only $100 Dollars only so that immediately infect will take place for
the delivery of your ATM CARD.
If you know you won't be able to pay for the safe keeping of your ATM CARD
please do not respond back to this email, and your ATM CARD will be return
back to the compensation head office which you will not be able to get the ATM
CARD again.
Please i repeat myself again that if you know that you will not be able to pay
for the safe keeping of your ATM CARD which is $100 USD please i beg you not
to respond to this email because it will not help.
Do fill this information and get back to us ASP You received this message.
Recomfirm your mailing address.
===============================================
Full Name:.
Sex:..........
Mailing Address:..
Personal Phone Number....
Occupation:..
================================================
As soon as you are ready to make the payment of the safe keeping of your ATM
CARD {$100USD} do let us know by sending us your mailing address, and we are
going to send you the information in which you are going to use in making the
payment for the delivery, once your payment have been comfirmed by our
accountant officer, your ATM CARD will be delivered to you as soon as possible.
Get back to us immediately for the delivery of your ATM CARD.
E-mail:(dhl_courier_service00@yahoo.com.hk)
TEL:+2348055296621
=========================================
=========================================
Thanks for your understanding.
Sincerly,
Mr ken cole
The Manager
Dhl Courier Company
www.dhl.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
