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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:
- "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. )
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- mrsgracegebriel@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Grace Gebriel" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsgracegebriel@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2013 13:29:53 +0800
Subject: CONTACT GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE (GCS) FOR YOU BOX?
Attention Beneficiary
Good Day, I am glad to announce to you today that a new payment policy has been adopted
And this fund supposed to be in your position by now but according to the information us
Gathered from the Formal Minister of Finance he said that you did not come through the
Front door to claim your fund but through the back door by dealing with some Africans
Impostors that is why he did not contact or said anything to you in regards to your
Payment. Please note that after our resolution meeting with the new Minister of Finance
And our New President we have agreed to pay off your fund. Therefore note that
Information has been passed to Benin republic universal parcel service
I have paid the fee for your compensation Bank draft and I took it to the issuer's bank
FINANCIAL BANK PLC to confirm it, then the Manager of the Bank MR. OBALA OBA told me
That before the Draft will get to you it will expire on the way and if it expires it
Will become useless so He advice me to convert the Draft of ($4.5M USD) into cash and He
Assisted me and packaged the funds into the strong iron box and deposit the box in
GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE (GCS) WORLDWIDE to deliver it to you.
I did it as he advised me because he is a banker he knows the durability of any foreign
cheque or draft. Note that I deposited the strong iron box in the GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE
(GCS) BENIN as Family valuable and Gift items. This is for security reasons and for the
Safety of your money.
Be informed that the GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE (GCS) officials did not know the real
Content of the consignment box except you and I and you have to make sure you don't
Disclose the real content of the box to them once you resume communication with GLOBAL
COURIER SERVICE (GCS).
In case you are being asked about the content of the box you are to tell them the box
Contains Family valuable and Gift items. This is the registration Number of your
Package (GCS/122P/MTM/20023ZIP CODE: 0113388).
SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/.
TRANSACTION CODE233/CSTC/101/33028/.
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01.
I want you to contact the Company immediately with the following information below.
Though I gave them your information but you need to reconfirm it to them. Below is the
Require information you need to give them now immediately you contact them.
1. YOUR FULL NAMES AND ADDRESS.
2. YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER.
3. IDENTIFICATION SUCH AS PASSPORT OR DRIVING LICENSE.
4. YOUR AGE AND MARITAL STATUS.
5. OCCUPATION.
You have to make sure you forward the above information to the Company to enable them
Commence arrangement towards delivering your box of money worth ($4.5m USD)
Immediately.
Note that the delivery fee of your consignment box has been paid by me.
So if you know you are ready contact them and they will tell you what to do immediately, this is the company contact info:
GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE (GCS)
Mr. Jordan Andre.
Email: (agtjordan01@admin.in.th)
Kindly contact the company immediately you receive this e-mail so that your package will
Be scheduled to depart to your location in the next 24 hours. After you might have paid security keeping fee of $95. Get back to me as soon as
You receive your package from the company.
Regards,
Mrs. Grace Gabriel
E-Mail: mrsgracegebriel@gmail.com
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