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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- deliverycourier724@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Oil And Gas" <info@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: countrycargo.courier@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2012 13:26:39 +0800
Subject: CHEVRON OIL AND GAS END OF THE YEAR 2012 AWARD
CHEVRON OIL AND GAS END OF THE YEAR 2012 AWARD:
This is to inform you that you have benefited Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars($500,000.00) from the On-line chevron Gas And Oil 2012 Cash
Benefit and your email address was picked via computer balloting TOPAZ which
made you the rightful benefactor.
NOTE that this cash benefit is geared towards eradicating poverty allover the
world before 2017 which is one of the goals of the Chevron Gas And Oil.
Do get back to us with this full details and also note that is your duty to
pay for the Courier Delivery of your winning check of ($500,000,00) to you.
FULL NAME:
AGE:
GENDER:
ADDRESS:
COUNTRY:
OCCUPATION:
MOBILE NUMBER:
Your Marital Status:
Find below is our Courier Company details send us an email now with your
details to enable us to deliver your winning funds to you.
Senior Dispatch Officer: Charles Taylor
Courier Name: COUNTRY CARGO COURIER DELIVERY WEST AFRICA NIGERIA.
Phone Number: +234 8154266594
Email: deliverycourier724@yahoo.com.hk
NOTE : If You Receive This Message In Your
Junk Or Spam Its Due To Your Internet
Provider.
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Anti-fraud resources: