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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:
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "tonyelumelu@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.
Fraud email example:
From: "ZENITH BANK PLC (ZBN)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <webmail.chk@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:55:55 -0800
Subject: Re: INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT OR THE ATM CARD?
Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc (ZBN)
Head Office Abuja, Nigeria
Ref: CENBANK/ABJ/OG-09
PAYMENT CODE: WB/CEN/06654-15
Dear Foreign Client
As your personal assistant here in this bank, it will be of great
importance that we both have a mutual understanding before hand so that I can be able and easily process your compensation payments fast out here in our bank.
Please be informed that the total amount in the SWIFT ATM CARD is $4.6 million USD And just as written on my previous email that you will only be able to withdraw a minimal limit of $4000 per day, but we shall apply for limit increase as time goes on.
I want you to understand that your funds are being held for release with the treasury unit in charge of remitting funds for foreign Beneficiaries. And to pursue the release I will need to re-confirm your detailed information for the documentation.
Name:
Private Email:
Address in full:
Tel/Mobile:
Copy of any legal I.D:
Upon receipt of these details I shall begin processing of your ATM card delivery
Contact details for your payments:
E-mail: tonyelumelu@w.cn
Thanks
Tony Elumelu
Zenith Bank Nigeria Plc
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Anti-fraud resources:
