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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:
- "robert mueller" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: UPS POSTAL SERVICE <upspostalservice@yahoo.com.vn>
Reply-To: ups-courierservice01@w.cn
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2011 19:19:48 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: YOUR PARCEL WILL BE COMMENCE AROUND 9:00 P.M TODAY RE-COMFIRM YOUR
INFO
Desk of Rev. Daniel Mario and Mr.
Sandra Henry
Coast Branch Office Head Manager
u.p.s international express
delivery
Address: 12 shipping street
Cotonou,Benin
Republic
ATTENTION! ATTENTION!!
ATTENTION!!!,
There will be an express
delivery that will commence by 9:00pm and it will be the last International
express delivery flight.
This email is very important and
i want you to take this delivery transaction serious because i received an
update from the international airport shipping custom officer and i also send a
copy to the FBI Agent Mr. Robert Mueller and also a copy was sent to the U.S
Embassy it contain a warning and if more delay occurs the package will be
returned back and marked as unclaimed due to it have spent a lot of time in the
secure terminal than what they expected.
The charge fee required to
enable the delivery of the package to you is $78 once the charge fee is paid i
assure and promise everything will be on my care and i will make sure delivery
commence once the fee is received.
Send the charge fee $78 and get
your package delivered within 14 hours once shipment commence tonight by
9:00pm.
RECEIVER NAME:CHINEDU
SAMUEL
CITY: COTONOU
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
ZIP 229
TEXT
QUESTION:GOOD?
ANSWER: LUCK.
AMOUNT; $78.
get back to me with the required
payment confirmation details.
My advice to you is to try your
best and send the required charge fee to enable this delivery come to end and
this will be my last email regarding this delivery and if more delay occur i
will have no choice than to allow the international airport shipping custom
officer return the package back.
Desk of Rev. Daniel Mario and
Mr. Sandra Henry
Coast Branch Office Head Manager
u.p.s international
express delivery
Address: 12 shipping street
Cotonou
Benin.
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Anti-fraud resources:
