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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:
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (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 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.
- info.nbcsbj@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: NEBRODIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE <info.effegooffice1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: info.nbcsbj@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:33:19 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Needed paper and forward it to me today
P {
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Hello,  Â
Â
I’m DIPLOMATIC MRS.KERRY KEISTERI have been trying to
reach you on your E-mail about an hour now just to inform you about my
successful Arrival in
John F.Kennedy International Airport with your two
boxes of consignment worth $2.5M USD which I have been instructed by
NEBRODIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE to
be delivered to you.
Â
The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up
papers to prove to them that the fund is no way related with drug nor fraud
money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much
pleas with the paper’s I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me
here is the airport delivery Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the
Airport Authority has advise that we get the delivery tag so that I can exit
the airport immediately and make my delivery successful.
Â
I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery
tag will cost you justV$99 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes
as that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without any
interference, the scanned the boxes and found out that accepted by any bank in
the whole world. as can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery
I have to take care of in Bang ok. Here are the papers backing the funds
together as IÂ can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit the fund
successfully with these papers. I have i more vital paper with me but I can only
present you the hard copy when I reach your house as that it’s the diplomatic
rules, such as authorization to deliver.
Â
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they
will get it here for you and they are entitled to receive and make any payment
to foreign countries authority. DIPLOMATIC MRS.KERRY KEISTER My Benin Number is
work here sometimes.. +22991548965 GET BACK TO ME IN MY EMAIL NOW; info.nbcsbj@yahoo.fr
Â
Receiver Name. ......................... Enwereuzor I.
Nwokedi
Country .........................Benin Republic
City
......................... Cotonou
Amount .........................$99 US
Dollars
Text Question. .........................Lord
Answer
….......................... Jesus.
SENDER
NAME....................
MTCN.......................... ........
Your Home
address.....................
And you Tell
Number...................
Â
Because i don’t want to do any mistake again. A waiting
for the payment to able me meet up to forward it to us so that they can obtain
the needed paper and forward it to me today
Regar
DIPLOMATIC MRS.KERRY KEISTER
I NEED YOUR
URGENT RESPOND NOW
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