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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:
- "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)
- "i will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "fdmo.ff@yahoo.com" <fdmo.ff@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: fdmof_f@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:45:27 -0400
Subject: Re: YOUR PAYMENT
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) OUTSTANDING REMITTANCE
ADDRESS:NO15 KING STREET UK LONDON UNITED KINGDOM
OFFICE TELL +44701173567
How are you doing today?
I'm the Chairman Presidential Monitoring Team on Foreign Dept.
I want you to re-confirm this information's that I have on my desk if
it's correspond with the one you have, so that I will advice you on
how the overdue payment $1.2Million Dollars can be released to you
immediately with out any further delay.
Fill below this personal information that will be forwarded to you
from my desk today to avoid diversion of funds.And get back to me as
soon as possible for immediately Fund Release Order Approval.
1. FULL NAME:________________
2. ADDRESS:________________
3. COUNTRY:________________
4. STATE:________________
5. OCCUPATION:________________
6. TELEPHONE NUMBER:________________
7. Age:________________
8. MARITAL STATUS:________________
9. SEX:________________
10. EMAIL:________________
Hence if the above information's are correct please kindly call me
immediately upon the receipt of this mail for further directives. I
want to inform you that this Bank is the bank that will wire your fund
to you. Till i have all this information's as a prove confirming you
as the rightful owner to this funds. i will further advise you on what
to do for your claims.
So kindly call me on my direct line which is +44701173567
Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Dan I. Abutu.
International Monetary Funds Office
London United Kingdom. (IMF)
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