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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:
- "million 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)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- jamesmore1913@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Bank Of China <info@china.com>
Reply-To: jamesmore1913@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:58:16 -0500
Subject: Attn: Beneficiary.
Attn: Beneficiary.
This is to officially inform you that we have verified your
Compensation/contract file presently and I found out that you have not
received your payment due to your lack of co-operation and not fulfilling
the obligations giving to you in respect to your Compensation.
We hereby acknowledged the receipt of your ATM card payment instruction
from the Bank of China, in amount of US$1.5m. = One Million five hundred
thousand US Dollars Payment as the I.M.F has approved it to you.
All the necessary arrangements regarding the delivering of the $1.5 Million
Dollars to you has been made, you are to contact, Mr. James Moore, now via
the below email, with your full delivery information to enable their
delivering agent locate you immediately he arrive your country with your
ATM CARD.
Company Name: Bank of China
Contact Person: Mr. James Moore
Email Address: jamesmore1913@hotmail.com
The new ATM/Master Money Debit Card allows you to withdraw cash and check
your balance at any bank's ATM machine! This is the kind of convenience you
will come to expect from all of Bank's services.
Again you can Pay your bills quickly using Bank ATM Card and it is 24-hour
service allows you to make your bill payments easily and quickly anytime of
the day or night and also pay your Mobile Phone Fees.
Secondly: you are hereby advised to stop dealing with some non-officials in
the bank and any other side communication about your fund payment as this
is an illegal act and will have to stop if you so wish to receive your ATM
CARD from this office.
Note; ATM PAYMENT CENTER will be waiting to receive your E-mail with your
contact address and you have to contact them now with this secret code
(0047-atm) so that your ATM CARD will get to you before the year runs down.
I will be waiting to hear from you as soon as you receive the ATM CARD.
THANKS AND WE PROMISING TO SERVE YOU BETTER
BEST REGARDS
Mr. Robert Bullock
Bank Of China
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Anti-fraud resources:
