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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "courier service" (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.
- +447045774416 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Kenny Celk" <kennycelk100@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: kennycelk3@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:41:21 -0500
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL COURIER PAYMENT
FROM: DR. KENNY CELK
London Clearing House
Aldgate House
33 Aldgate High St, London, EC3N 1EA,
United Kingdom
TEL: +44 7045774416
CONFIDENTIAL COURIER PAYMENT
I am Kenny Celk of LONDON CLEARING HOUSE LTD I decided to contact you
because of the prevailing security report reaching my office and the
intense nature of polity in London. This is to inform you about our
plan to send your fund to you via cash delivery system, This system
will be easier for you and for us. We are going to send your payment
of US$7.3 Million to you via courier service. I have secured every
needed document to cover this fund.
Note: This fund is coming in 2 security proof boxes which are sealed
with Synthetic nylon seal and padded with machine. I will use my
position to facilitate the RELEASE ORDER of this fund to you. The
boxes are coming with a Courier agent who will deliver them to you at
your home address.
All you need to do now is to send to me:
1. Your full name
2. Your full house address
3. Your contact phone numbers
4. Your Occupation
5. Sex
Note: The Agent does not know the contents in these boxes, the content
was declared to him as Sensitive Photographic Film Materials.
I will secure the clearance Certificate that will be tagged on the
boxes which I will dispatch along with the security inner Keys of the
consignments to enable you access them as soon as they are delivered
to you. It can also be transfer through Telegraphic Online Transfer.
Best Regards,
Dr. Kenny Celk.
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Anti-fraud resources:
