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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:
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "dhlcourier_servicecom@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "dhlcourier_servicecom@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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "REV.CHARLES SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dhlcourier_servicecom@w.cn>
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:02:46 -0700
Subject: CONTACT DHL DELIVERY SERVICE IMMEDIATELY.
DHL International Benin
Lot No. 23 Patte D'Oie
03 BP 2147Cotonou
Email;(dhlcourier_servicecom@w.cn)
Atten:
We have a Parcel contained an International Cashier Bank Draft/Cheque worth the
sum of ($3.5 millionUSD) which will be deliver to you at the moment as long as
you provide all the requirement information to the DHL Courier Dlivery Express
company before the parcel can be shipped to your own residential address in your
country.
Further more,Your e-mail /Home address was among the luckiest package that will
be send through Federal Express Delivery Service as soon as you contact them so what
you have to do right now,is to contact the Director of DHL Delivery Department
for immediate dispatch to your residential address.
CONTACT PERSON;DR.JERRY UBA
Email;(dhlcourier_servicecom@w.cn)
Website;www.dhl.com
TEl:+229 962 679 55
TEl:+229 989 313 56
Reconfirm Your Address Once Again.
1.YOUR FULL NAME:...............
2.YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER................
3.YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS:.................
4.YOUR OCCUPATION:...................
5.YOUR COUNTRY:...................
4.A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION........
My Regard to your family
Yours REV.CHARLES SMITH
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