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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "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.
- 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.
- office151@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev John Ben." <terry_hedges@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: office151@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 08:50:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Jesus has down it for you.
ATTENTION, I am writing this to inform
you that your total sun of $4 million dollars is on hold because of
will have not done what will called tracking,now will have transfer
your funds but what you have to do is to send only $66 dollars for the
track fee to enable your funds track down into your account to enable
you start making use of your money today and doing what ever you wants
to do with it so my advise to you is to send the $66 as soon as you
receive this email to enable your funds track down immediately into
your account after you have send the money and believe me once you make
this payment you will definitely receive your funds today. here is the
information on how to send the money below,
RECEIVER NAME---------------Kenneth Eze
COUNTRY--------------------- BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY--------------- COTONOU
QUESTION----------HONEST
ANSWER------------TRUST
AMOUNT-----------$66
MTCN -------------
SENDER NAME-----------
Please as soon as you send this money
try to call this line +229 -97 -268 -138 for the MTCN number or your
forward it to my email address (office151@yahoo.com)
Sincerely
Rev John Ben.
+229 -97 -268 -138
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