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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:
- "security keeping 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. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- "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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.Larry Johnson" <lironelg@walla.co.il>
Reply-To: dhl_courier_service@ws-loei.ac.th
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2013 17:32:41 -0500
Subject: DEAR VALUED CUSTOMER
Attn: Beneficiary,
Compliment of the day to you and your family. I have been waiting for you s=
ince to come down here and pick your compensation Check which my boss
left with me on his departure to England but I did not hear from you since =
that time till today. I went to the bank to confirm whether the Check is
getting close to expire as it has been long time my boss issued the Check.
The director of the bank Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank=
Limited told me that before the draft will get to you that it will
expire. Then I told him to help me and cash the Check worth of $5.800.000.0=
0 to cash payment.
However, I have successfully cashed the draft and packaged it in two trunk =
boxes and have registered it in the FedEx Courier Company here in Benin
because I will travel to see my boss in England and will not come back till=
OCTOBER 20th 2013.You have to contact the Dhl Diplomatic Courier
Company to know when they will deliver the two of your consignment boxes to=
your address. I have paid for the delivering charges and insurance
fees. The only money you have to send to them is their official security ke=
eping fees which is USD$98.00 USD to receive your boxes. Don=92t be
deceived by anybody. I should have paid the keeping fee but I do not know h=
ow long it will take before you contact them and the keeping fee
increases weekly.
This is their Contact Address:
Director Name: Mr.Micheal Burrton
(Director FedEx Diplomatic Courier Company)
Their E-mail Contact :( dhl_courier_service@ws-loei.ac.th)
Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you immediately t=
hey arrived in your country with your package.
This is the information they needed from you..
1) Your Full Name =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
2) Your Home Address=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
3) Your Fax=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
4) Your Cell Numbers=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
5) You personal identification=3D=3D=3D
6) Your Occupation=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Below is your shipping code of the two of your consignment boxes so
Contact them with the below code.
YOUR SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid the weekly increasing of t=
he security keeping fee.Note;I didn't tell the DHL Diplomatic Courier
Company that it's money inside the two trunk boxes, I registered it as a bo=
x of a Church Minister Materials. This is to avoid delay or any upfront
problem during the delivery.So,do not let them know that the two trunk boxe=
s contains money. Do let me know as soon as you received your boxes.
You will contact me only through e-mail as my phone is no longer available =
now that I am out from our country. I may not be able to respond to you
urgent but I will get back to you whenever I checked my email.
Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Yours sincerely,
DR.Larry Johnson
(Secretary)
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