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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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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)
- 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.
- tomiapong@yahoo.co.th (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Agi Mputa" <jendyjeffery@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: foreignpayfund@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:27:50 +0100 (BST)
Subject: SECURITY CHECK
Attention Card Owner:
This is to bring to your kind notice that I have paid for the re-activation fee and the delivery of your ATM Card.
I
paid it because your ATM Card with pin code 8119 worth the total sum of
$15.5 million Dollars, has less than three days to expire and when it
expires your money money on your ATM card will go back into the
Government purse as UN-claimed with that I decided to help you pay the
money so that the ATM Card will not expire because I know that when you
receive your ATM Card you will definitely pay me back my money and even
compensate me for helping you.
Now I want you to contact
immediately the Delivery Company and re-confirm with them your Full
Contact information such as your Full Names, Current Postal Address and
your working Mobile and
Land line (s) NUMBER so that they can deliver your Card to your
designated address without any delay.
Like I stated earlier the
delivery charges has been paid but I did not pay their official keeping
fees since they refused and the reason is that they do not know when you
are going to contact them and demur rage might have Accumulated which I
do not want.
They told me that their keeping fees is $95 per day
and your ATM card was deposited with them today Wednesday the 12th of
September 2012.
Below is their Contact Information
Contact Person: Tomai Pong
Email Address: ( tomiapong@yahoo.co.th )
Make
sure that contact their office immediately you receive this e-mail now
to avoid the increase of their keeping fees and let me know once you
receive your ATM card.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Agi Mputa.
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Anti-fraud resources:
