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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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- 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: "Western Union Money Transfer" <Western.union19@07168.cn>
Reply-To: western.union29@07168.cn
Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:50:42 +0300
Subject: Mail From Western Union Money Transfer.
I write to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00 USD dollars th=
rough Western Union as we have been given the mandate to > transfer your fu=
ll compensation payment of $500,000.00USD via Western Union Office here in =
Uk, by the United Nations Government.So I decided to email you the MTCN and=
sender's name so you can pick up this $5000.00 USD to enable us send anoth=
er $5000.00USD by tomorrow please provide your Full Name_______ Telephone__=
_____ Home Address_____ Country of resident_______ as you know we will be s=
ending you only $5000.00 USD per day. Please pick up this information and g=
o to any Western Union in your country to pick up the $5000.00 USD and Emai=
l me back to send you another payment tomorrow. email me once you picked up=
this $5,000 USD today. Here is the western union information, you can also=
track it on-line @ www.westernunion.com Sender Information's Sender: Danie=
l Sender Last Name:Landry MTCN 536-198-6894 Amount;=3D 5,000, USD Test Ques=
tion;=3D To Who? Test Answer;=3D To Friend Regards Mr Jeff martin Phone: +4=
47 0318 66678 E-mail: western.union29@07168.cn
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