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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "required fee " (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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- 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 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.
- westernunion580@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. richard goodman" <office.maneger@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: westernunion580@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 02:34:29 +0700
Subject: AVAILABLE TO PICK UP Ref# 582-774-4582
ATTENTION.Dear Customer
Note; we discovered that some internet hackers (Fraudsters) are accessing our
e-mail account trying to hack your funds from our system, so we have concluded
to effect your payments through Western union International Transfer.
They will be sending $5000 to you daily until your $1,500,000.00 is completely
transferred to you accordingly. The only money you are to pay to them is $50 so
as to enable them purchase and update your transfer files to prevent any illegal
transfer of your funds or any form of hindrance in receiving your funds. This is
the only fee you are asked to pay in this regards. So know it, there will be no
any other money you will be demand to send.
nWe shall obtain the Tax clearance certificates and finalize the process of your
daily transfer and then authorize the appointed Western union Office to effect
your payments today as soon as you send the fee to them.
Please fill in the below transfer form and forward to them which willenable on
the transfer.
1. NAME OF RECEIVER
2. COUNTRY
3. STATE
4. CITY
5. YOUR HOME ADDRESS
6. TEXT QUESTION
7. TEXT ANSWER
Here is there contact address.
Agent in charge
Dr. richard goodman.
E-mail: (westernunion580@yahoo.com}
Tell: (+229) 68252990
Below is the information which you can use to send the required fee through
Western Union or Money Gram any of the office that is close to you.
Receiver................. EKWENZE JOSEPH
Country................ Benin Republic
State......................... cotonu
Text Question.............How Much?
Answer..........................$50 Only
After you send the fee to this information, you should send the payment
information's to them together with the transfer form giving to you above.
Immediately they re-newyour payment files, you will start receiving your
payments daily as stated above.
Here are details of your first payment of $5000 USD made onyour behalf but it
has no receiver's name yet until you remit the $50 USD required to them before
they can re-new and update the transfer fileson your name and put your name as
the receiver.
Ref# 582-774-4582
Amount: $5000
Note that within 48hrs if you do not remit the required $50 USD the transfer
will be retrieve back and remember that the money details given to you does not
bear your name as the receiver yet until you make the payment of the $50 USD.
Thanks for your kind attention.
MY REGARDS
Dr. richard goodman.
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN
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