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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:
- "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. )
- "consignment " (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 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Diplomat Wilferd <fernfern343@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: diplomat_ken@ymail.com
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:44:39 +0700
Subject: Hi my arrival with ur package at your city =?UTF-8?Q?air-port=3F=20call?=
=?UTF-8?Q?=20on=20+=34=34=37=20=30=34=35=20=37=38=31=20=36=35=30?=
--
Attn:
I’m Diplomat Wilfred Tawiah; I have been trying to reach you on your
telephone about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrival
in John F.Kennedy International Airport with your two boxes of consignment
worth 4.3 thousand Dollars which I have been instructed by ECO-WAS COURIER
DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority demanded for
all the legal back up papers to prove to them that the fund is no way
related with drug nor fraud money, I have presented the papers I handed to
them and they are very much pleased with the paper’s I presented but the
only thing that is still
keeping me here is the airport delivery Tag which is not placed on the
boxes, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the delivery tag
so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery successful
.I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery tag will cost us
just $ 108 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as that tag
will enable me get to your house successfully without any interference,
they scanned the boxes and found out that the fund is 100 % spend able and
accepted by any bank in the whole world.
Please try and reach me with my international roaming number +229 99300 456
as I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to
take care of in Bangkok.Here are the papers backing the funds together
with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit
the fund successfully with these papers.
I have more vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy
when I reach your house as that it’s the diplomatic rules, such as
authorization to deliver.
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get it here for
you and they are entitled to receive and make any payment to foreign
countries authority.
GET BACK TO ME IN MY EMAIL NOW; diplomat_ken@ymail.com
Receiver OBI LAWRENCE
Country Benin republic .
Amount $ 108 US Dollars
Text Question... who
Answer .........OBI
SENDER NAME
MTCN
Regard
Diplomat Wilferd
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