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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "inland revenue board" (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. )
- "inland revenue board" (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. )
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "inland revenue" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "lagos" (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.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Sheriff Ismail." <rckneric@rogers.com>
Reply-To: taxinlandtaxrevenue@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2011 15:39:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Your Tax Debt Relief.
TREASURY
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ASSET FORFEITURE
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE INLAND REVENUE BOARD
THIS
MORNING YOUR PAYMENT FILE WORTH THE TOTAL SUM OF $15.5 MILLION US
DOLLARS WAS JUST BROUGHT TO MY OFFICE AT THE INLAND REVENUE BOARD FOR
CANCELLATION REASON IS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY SAY YOU HAVE FAILED TO PAY
FOR YOUR INLAND REVENUE TAX WHICH COST SO MUCH.
BUT
BECAUSE OF MY GENEROSITY I HAVE REFUSED TO CANCEL YOUR PAYMENT RATHER I
HAVE DECIDED TO PLEAD ON YOUR BEHALF TO THE TREASURY EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
AND THEY HAVE ACCEPTED MY PLEA TO THEM ON YOUR BEHALF IN ONE VOICE TO
REDUCE WHAT SO EVER IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED YOU TO SECURE YOUR TAX
CLEARANCE FROM THE INLAND REVENUE BOARD TO ONLY THE SUM OF $72 ONLY IN
OTHER TO ENABLE YOU PAY IT HAVE YOUR TAX CLEARANCE SECURED AND HAVE
YOUR FUND RELEASED TO YOU INTO ANY ACCOUNT YOU SO DESIRE.
TO
SECURE YOUR TAX CLEARANCE WHICH IS THE ONLY THING DELAY YOUR PAYMENT OF
$15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS TO ANY BANK ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE YOU MUST
HAVE TO PAY THIS $72 NOW TO THE DETAILS BELOW SO THAT YOUR FUND IS
RELEASED TO YOU IN 11 HOURS TIME.
AS
SOON AS YOU PAY THIS ONLY FEE OF $72 NOW YOUR ORDER OF TAX ACCOUNT
TRANSCRIPTS AND YOUR TAX RETURN TRANSCRIPTS WILL BOTH BE FORWARDED TO
YOU IMMEDIATELY ASCERTAINING THAT YOU HAVE PAID FOR YOUR TAX AND SO
THEREFORE YOUR TRANSFER SHOULD BE RELEASED TO YOU WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
SO WE ADVICE YOU TO GO NOW AND PAY THE $72 ONLY THROUGH
THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME
RECEIVERS NAME: GOODLUCK UWANA
RECEIVERS ADDRESS: CITY : LAGOS
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
AMOUNT: $72
M.T.C.N NUMBER:
TEXT QUESTION: YOUR
TEXT ANSWER: PART
NOTE
VERY IMPORTANTLY THAT EVERY OTHER THING ARE IN PLACE EXCEPT FOR YOUR
TAX CLEARANCE AND ONCE YOU PAY TO SECURE YOUR TAX CLEARANCE NOW YOU WILL
HAVE YOUR FUND RELEASED TO YOU AS TO WHEN DUE TO YOU.
ENSURE RESPONDING BACK IMMEDIATELY.
MRS. SHERIFF ISMAIL.
INLAND REVENUE HEAD OF TREASURY.
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Anti-fraud resources:
