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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
- kenray002@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR ADAMS JEFF" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kenray002@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2010 18:45:14 +0100
Subject: ***misplaced your delivery address***
DIPLOMATIC COURIER COMPANY BENIN.
RUE RUE 4688 NKURUMAH WAY COTONOU
REPUBLIC OF BENIN WEST AFRICA.
FROM THE DESK OF DR ADAMS JEFF.
ATTN:CUSTOMER.
We wish to inform you that our representing agent conveying your parcel valued the sum of USD$1,500,000.00 usd misplaced your delivery address on transit and he is currently stranded with your package Content of your USD$1,500,000.00.contact him to confirm his arrival be adviced to reconfirm the following informations below to him so that he can deliver the Parcel that contained your compensation fund as soon as possible to the address you are going to reconfirm to him.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
MOBILE NO:
OCCUPATION:
AGE:
YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATION:
NAME OF YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT:
A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION IF POSSIBLE:
Please do contact the agent with the informations required.Contact Person : AGENT MR KENNEDY RAYMOND via email ( kenray002@gmail.com) contact him as soon as you recieve this email and if you did not get him please update us by calling their director, Dr. Adams Jeff on this tel. (+229) 9666 6890) who is constantly in-touch via email with the agent so that he can let you know more about the delivery because the agent might be confusely busy awaiting for you in the Airport to send him your delivery address to proceed with the package delivery to you.
NOTE :The parcel was moved from here as content of bibles for your church usage, so in no circumstances you should allow the agent to open the box to anyone & to avoid disclosing that your box content is money which is risk & to avoid any suden lost of your funds to any untrustful person in the airport who might become interested to divert your fund to them or himself as soon as the person realise that your package contains this large amount of funds.
Yours In Service.
Mr Ben Bruce.
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Anti-fraud resources:
