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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:
- "stamp duty" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- joshbirminghamparkway@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: POST OFFICE HAD OFFICE <kerrykeister@gmail.com>
Reply-To: joshbirminghamparkway@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:45:50 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: From: Postal Service Office
From: Postal Service Office
Cotonou, Republic Du Benin
E-mail: joshbirminghamparkway@yahoo.com
Hello My Dear Beneficiary
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT THERE IS AN ATM CARD IN THIS OFFICE DEPOSITED BY
Ministry Financer Benin Republic ON THE 16TH OF OCT 2011.
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS ATTACHED TO IT AND IS TO BE POST TO YOU.WE HAVE
BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT US FOR YOUR THE ATM CARD VALUED THE SUM OF
$900.000.00USD UNITED STATE DOLLARS AND SOME VITAL DOCUMENTS BUT WE DO NOT HEAR
FROM YOU.
SO KINDLY GET BACK TO THIS OFFICE(REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE
BENIN REPUBLIC) TO AVOID FRAUDULENT ISSUES CONCERNING THIS SERVICE.
CONTACT
MR.REAL CROTEAU
TEL+229-98123964
YOU ARE TO CONFIRM AND PROVIDE TO US YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS
BELOW.
NOTE: THAT YOU ARE TO PAY FOR THE STAMP
DUTY FEE OF $77 USD.YOU ARE ADVISE TO SEND THE STAMP DUTY FEE THROUGH WESTERN
UNION OR MONEY GRAM TO THE POST OFFICE WITH THE MANAGER'S NAME BELOW AND FORWARD
THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO THIS POST OFFICE.
FOR IMMEDIATE STAMP DUTY OF YOUR ATM CARD.
HERE ARE THE WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM PAYMENT INFORMATION YOU WILL
USE TO SEND THE MONEY TO THE POST OFFICE.
Receiver Name......Julius C Okonkwo
Country......Benin Du
Republic
City....Cotonou
Question....Okonkwo
Answer.....Julius
AMOUNT.....$77
USD
Mtcn?
Sender ?
NOTE:THAT EVERY CLAIMS HAS AN EXPIRYING PERIOD OF FOURTEN WORKING
DAYS (14DAYS) SO YOU HAVE TO DO THAT VERY URGENTLY TO AVOID
EXPIRATION.
Have a nice day.
Call us with this TEL+229-98123964
MR.BENSON PETER
S.G, Postal Service
Cotonou, Benin
Rep.Call Tel:
TEL+229-98123964
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Anti-fraud resources:
